Confined Spaces 

Section 5   Documentation and Control

Introduction 

5.8.1  

There are two categories of keys normally used with Confined Spaces: 

n 

safety keys 

n 

access keys. 

5.8.2  

Safety keys are keys to safety locks, used to: 

n 

lock isolation valves in the closed position 

n 

isolate fuel and electricity supplies 

n 

lock by pass valves in safe positions. 

5.8.3 

Access keys are keys to locks to control access to confined spaces. 

5.8.4  

For sites with a small number of safety and access keys the specified 

requirements for key storage may be modified to suit the local conditions.  

The Authorising Engineer is to determine the key storage arrangements for 

each site.  The arrangements must ensure that access to the keys is 

restricted to authorised personnel.  Providing the storage and issue of 

safety and access keys is tightly controlled, a dedicated Confined Spaces 

Working Key Cabinet, Duplicate Key Cabinet and Authorised Persons 

Key Safe may not need to be provided. 

Safety Locks and Safety Key Boxes 

5.8.5  

Safety locks and safe key boxes will normally be required in conjunction 

with other Authorised Person disciplines.  Unless they are required on a 

regular basis, dedicated confined spaces safety locks and safe key boxes 

will not be required. 

5.8.6  

Safety locks are padlocks indelibly painted red having only one key which 

is different from all other keys in use. Each safety lock is to be marked 

with a unique identification number and its key is to be labelled with the 

same number. When the safety locks are in use the safety keys are to be 

kept in a Safety Key Box. 

5.8.7  

Safety Key Boxes are to have two unique locks, each of which is to have 

only one key, one being labelled  Safety Key Box   Person in Charge , 

and the other  Safety Key Box   Authorised Person . Both locks on the 

Safety Key Box must be released before access can be gained to the box. 

5.8.8  

After safety locks have been applied to protect/isolate a confined space, 

the Authorised Person is to place the keys to the safety locks in the Safety 

Key Box and secure both the locks of the Safety Key Box. The Authorised 

Person is to retain the Authorised Persons key and issue the Person in 

Charges key to the Person in Charge. The Person in Charge is to retain the 

Person in Charge key until the permit is cancelled. 

5.8.9 

Each Safety Key Box is to contain the safety keys associated with one 

permit. When not in use, safety locks and their keys are to be kept in the 

Working Key Cabinet. 

Authorised Persons' Key Safe 

5.8.10 

An Authorised Person's Key Safe is a key safe with a combination lock 

installed adjacent to the Working Key Cabinet. The Authorised Person's 

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April 2005