Confined Spaces 

4.1.4  

The Permit to Work procedure is an extension of the Safety Method 

Statement, not a replacement for it.  The Permit to Work system does not, 

by itself, make a job safe.  

4.1.5  

Safe working can be achieved by: 

n 

the careful planning of the work, carrying out a risk assessment and 

implementing suitable control measures 

n 

the persons supervising and carrying out the work taking the 

necessary precautions and adopting the safe work methods for which 

they have been trained and made responsible. 

4.1.6  

In addition, the Authorised Person is to ensure that any person working in 

a confined space has adequate and suitable instructions.

4.2  

RISK 

ASSESSMENT

General 

4.2.1  

The purpose of risk assessment is to identify hazards, the persons affected, 

the degree of risk and to consider suitable means of controlling or 

eliminating the risk. 

4.2.2  

The Authorised Person must carry out a general risk assessment for each 

confined space within his or her area of responsibility. 

4.2.3  

The employer of the Work Team must ensure a task specific risk 

assessment is carried out to the standard required by the Authorised 

Person. 

4.2.4  

Depending on the task to be undertaken or the hazards identified, 

additional risk assessments may be required from persons with the relevant 

specialist experience. 

4.2.5  

The Authorised Person is responsible for ensuring that adequate task 

specific risk assessments are undertaken before authorising work in a 

confined space within his or her area of responsibility. 

4.2.6  

Risk assessments will help to identify if the work can be undertaken 

without the need to enter the confined space. 

4.2.7  

If it cannot be considered "reasonably practicable" to carry out the work 

without entering the space then the risk assessment should identify the 

measures that need to be taken to secure safe working within the space. 

4.2.8  

Generic risk assessments are suitable where a number of confined spaces 

are broadly the same in terms of the conditions and activities being carried 

out (e.g. sewers, manholes, service ducts etc.) and the risks and measures 

to deal with them are the same.  Any differences in particular cases that 

alter the conclusions of the generic risk assessment must be identified. 

4.2.9  

The Authorised Person's responsibilities include maintaining up to date 

written copies of the general risk assessments for each confined space in 

the Confined Space Register. 

April 2005 

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