Confined 

Spaces 

Foreword

This publication was prepared under the patronage of the Ministry of Defence 

(MOD) Directorate of Defence Safety and Claims (DS&C) and is to be read in 

conjunction with Common Elements and Requirements (CER).  These Safety Rules 

and Procedures are mandatory for adoption by Commanding Officers, Chief 

Executives, and Heads of Establishments, into their site safety plans, to secure 

compliance with the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and to aid the safe 

conduct of works activities. 

These Safety Rules and Procedures address the responsibilities of the Ministry of 

Defence (MOD) under the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 with regard to the 

design, construction, operation and maintenance of facilities under the control of the 

MOD. 

This document and Common Elements and Requirements together replace the 1999 

edition of SRP 06, which in turn replaced TICE 164. 

The adoption of the document into the site safety plan will influence the conduct of 

many organisations and personnel including (see CER): 

n 

Site Safety Officer 

n 

Establishment Works Consultant 

n 

Works Services Management Organisation and other Maintenance Management 

Organisations, Contractors and Sub Contractors 

n 

Facilities Managers, Project Sponsors, Project Managers and Contractors for 

projects 

n 

Designers of installations 

Technical advice and assistance on confined space working on the Defence Estate 

can be obtained from: 

Senior Authorising Authority (Confined Spaces) 

Construction Support Team 

Defence Estates  

Kingston Road 

Sutton Coldfield 

B75 7RL 

Amendments to this publication will be advised by Defence Estates ES&P Policy 

Instructions issued to MOD Top Level Budget Holders, DE and organisations 

managing the MOD Safe Systems of Work.  It is the responsibility of persons using 

this publication on any MOD Establishment to check with the Facilities Manager, 

Property Manager or Project Sponsor to ascertain if amendments have been issued. 

These Safety Rules and Procedures have been devised for the use of the Crown and 

its contractors in the execution of contracts for the Crown.  The Crown hereby 

excludes all liability (other than liability for death or personal injury) whatsoever and 

howsoever arising (including, but without limitation, negligence on the part of the 

Crown, its servants or agents) for any loss or damage however caused where the 

Document is used for any other purpose. 

iv

April 2005