Confined spaces
HSE Services
Confined space entry safety is one of the highest-risk areas of dry dock work. Confined spaces cause many incidents and accidents; they must therefore be risk assessed by professionals with the necessary knowledge and experience, following the principles of ISO 45001.
The following list is not an exhaustive set of safe systems of work; it covers only the essential, basic mandatory requirements for each individual confined space entry.
Plan for Confined Space Entry Safety
- Individually risk assessed by professionals with adequate equipment
- Creation of the necessary permits to work before beginning the task
- Emergency arrangements in place
- Adequate emergency equipment readily available
- Identification of the applicable codes of practice for the task
- Implementation of the hierarchy of safety control measures
Do
- All individuals involved briefed on the safe system of work before entry
- All confined space entrances safeguarded
- Continuous monitoring by a professional tank watcher, periodically reviewed by a professional confined space expert
- A log kept of access and egress
- The hierarchy of safety control measures applied
- Any near miss, incident, or accident reported promptly
We also provide fully qualified tank watchers to ensure that permit to work and safe systems of work procedures are correctly followed.
Check
- Tank Watch and Confined Space Expert must assess that the confined space is safe without any residual hazard before leaving.
- Identify the necessary remedial actions if there was a breach of safe systems of work during the task or any incident.
- Identify how to improve safe systems of work if possible.
Act
Confined space entry safety doesn’t end when the task is complete. As a result, we act upon and record the necessary remedial actions and possible improvements, and we communicate them clearly across the entire team, so the same high standard applies consistently to every future confined space entry on site.