Confined spaces
Health and Safety
Executive
Confined spaces
A brief guide to working safely
This leaflet explains what you, as an employer, may need to do to protect your employees when working in confined spaces. It will also be useful to the self-employed or employees and their representatives. The leaflet will help you take the necessary action to meet the requirements of the Confined
Spaces Regulations 1997.
Confined spaces can be deadly
A number of people are killed or seriously injured in confined spaces each year in the UK. This happens in a wide range of industries, from those involving complex plant to simple storage vessels. Those killed include people working in the confined space and those who try to rescue them without proper training and equipment.
This is a web-friendly version of leaflet INDG258(rev1), published 01/13
What is a confined space?
It can be any space of an enclosed nature where there is a risk of death or serious injury from hazardous substances or dangerous conditions (eg lack of oxygen).
Some confined spaces are fairly easy to identify, eg enclosures with limited openings: ■■
■■
■■
■■
■■
storage tanks; silos; reaction vessels; enclosed drains; sewers. Others may be less obvious, but can be equally dangerous, for example:
■■
■■
■■
■■
■■
open-topped chambers; vats; combustion chambers in furnaces etc; ductwork; unventilated or poorly ventilated rooms.
It is not possible to provide a comprehensive list of confined spaces. Some places may become confined spaces when work is carried out, or during their construction, fabrication or subsequent modification.
Page 1 of 7
Health and Safety
Executive
What are the dangers from confined spaces?
Dangers can arise in confined spaces because of the following issues.
■■ A lack of oxygen.
This can occur:
▬▬ where there is a reaction between some soils and the oxygen in the
atmosphere;
▬▬ following the action of
Executive
Confined spaces
A brief guide to working safely
This leaflet explains what you, as an employer, may need to do to protect your employees when working in confined spaces. It will also be useful to the self-employed or employees and their representatives. The leaflet will help you take the necessary action to meet the requirements of the Confined
Spaces Regulations 1997.
Confined spaces can be deadly
A number of people are killed or seriously injured in confined spaces each year in the UK. This happens in a wide range of industries, from those involving complex plant to simple storage vessels. Those killed include people working in the confined space and those who try to rescue them without proper training and equipment.
This is a web-friendly version of leaflet INDG258(rev1), published 01/13
What is a confined space?
It can be any space of an enclosed nature where there is a risk of death or serious injury from hazardous substances or dangerous conditions (eg lack of oxygen).
Some confined spaces are fairly easy to identify, eg enclosures with limited openings: ■■
■■
■■
■■
■■
storage tanks; silos; reaction vessels; enclosed drains; sewers. Others may be less obvious, but can be equally dangerous, for example:
■■
■■
■■
■■
■■
open-topped chambers; vats; combustion chambers in furnaces etc; ductwork; unventilated or poorly ventilated rooms.
It is not possible to provide a comprehensive list of confined spaces. Some places may become confined spaces when work is carried out, or during their construction, fabrication or subsequent modification.
Page 1 of 7
Health and Safety
Executive
What are the dangers from confined spaces?
Dangers can arise in confined spaces because of the following issues.
■■ A lack of oxygen.
This can occur:
▬▬ where there is a reaction between some soils and the oxygen in the
atmosphere;
▬▬ following the action of