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BUILDING MAINTENANCE


MAINTAINING SAFETY Confined spaces pose a wide variety of potential hazards to those workers that


are required to enter them, so recognising the dangers is a key form of defense. Ken Smith, Consultant for Arco Training & Consultancy, highlights what hazards need to be addressed and how to protect those on the front line.


There are many potential dangers for those working in confined space environments, which can even result in fatality if the correct precautions are not taken. It’s therefore imperative that businesses ensure that their staff not only understand what dangers to look out for, but are able to work safely within their environments. Addressing these areas in advance will significantly improve the safety and health of any employees that may be at risk.


There’s a lot more to defining a confined space than many people may initially think and identification is an essential part of the process. It’s easy to assume that a confined space is a small, enclosed area, however, a confined space can include a variety of environments such as large chambers or tunnels. Under this definition, if an


20 | TOMORROW’S FM


area is substantially enclosed and also presents a reasonably foreseeable risk of one or more of the specified risks, then it should be defined as a confined space.


Every business has a duty of care to its employees to keep them safe while at work, and this is especially important when confined space working is required. In the UK, the Confined Space Regulations 1997 is the legislation specifically developed for this type of work. The Regulations and Approved Code of Practice L101 (ACoP) must be considered before any attempt to enter a confined space and emphasise the importance of understanding the environment as well as providing staff with a practicable method of completing the work in a safe way.


One of the key requirements of the Confined Space Regulations 1997 is for employers to find a reasonably practicable method of completing the work in the confined space without entry. Where this is not possible, action must be taken to ensure a safe system for working. Through a full risk assessment, an employer is then able to make an informed decision on what specific training, PPE and safety equipment will be needed to keep employees safe.


THE MAIN HAZARDS The potential hazards confronting


workers in confined spaces are varied and wide. The first step would be to identify whether the space is hazardous before entry and if there is a reasonably foreseeable risk of hazards occurring during the job.


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