Confined Space Training

Confined Space Training is required for workers who may work in or on a enclosed or partially enclosed space such as storage tanks, pressure vessels, pipes, boilers and sewers.

A person conducting a business or undertaking must, under part 3.1 (Managing risks to health and safety), manage risks to health and safety associated with a confined space at a workplace. This includes the risks associated with entering, working in, on or in the vicinity of the confined space. Including a risk of a person inadvertently entering the confined space.

This is one of the courses from our suite of health and safety courses we have on offer being delivered by one of our safety consultants. Training is a key element of the businesses safety management system.

What is Confined Space Training – Course Overview

Confined Spaces Training is required even though most companies do not intend their worker to enter these places. There still remains the need to understand the specific legislative requirements for working ‘on or in the vicinity of the confined space‘. Additionally there is the need to issue a confined space entry permit to enter to complete work on what would be their plant, equipment or facilities.

This confined space training course provides participant’s with the skills and knowledge required to manage the process to safely enter and work in confined spaces. Confined space training is appropriate for those working in operational roles undertaking minor works in confined spaces.

This course is also used by companies as a confined space refresher for those who have already completed the RIIWHS training, in particular,

– RIIWHS202E – Enter and work in confined spaces (this course supersedes RIIWHS202D)
– MSMPER205 – Confined space entry
– MSMPER200 – Work in accordance with a confined space entry permit
– MSMPER202 – Observe permit work

Each of these training modules can be researched in more detail at the Australian Training site.

This training can also be structured as initial training or refresher for confined space rescue and serve as a verification of competency (VOC) assessed by the Safety Consultant to maintain the confined space ticket. The confined space entry permit is also covered in the refresher.

This training is especially helpful to Health and Safety Representatives to better understand the legislation so that they can assist Management to develop strategies to protect workers.

What is the Definition of a confined space?
According to the Safe Work Australia Code of Practice, a “confined space” means an enclosed or partially enclosed space that:

is not designed or intended primarily to be occupied by a person; and
is, or is designed or intended to be, at normal atmospheric pressure while any person is in the space; and
is or is likely to be a risk to health and safety from:
- an atmosphere that does not have a safe oxygen level, or
- contaminants, including airborne gases, vapours and dusts, that may cause injury from fire or explosion, or
- harmful concentrations of any airborne contaminants, or
- engulfment.

Cost

Confined Spaces Training is completed in house at your location, delivered by a qualified Safety Consultant and can be amended to account for experienced or novice participants. For these bookings, please contact our offices for a obligation free quote.
*travel costs may apply outside of the Gold Coast.

Course Inclusions

The confined space training is conducted by one of our experienced WHS industry practitioner with over 25 years of strong knowledge of the relevant legislation and industry practices.
Practical and theoretical activities to assist participants understand the confined space requirements.
Participant notes and access to equipment to plan and execute basic confined space entries.

Each Trainee Must

Sufficiently ambulant to access work areas simulated to be a confined space.
Have at least a Year 10 level of numeracy, literacy and communication skills.
Have the ability to read and write English to be able to read, complete and understand a entry permit.

Work in accordance with an issued permit
The Safety Consultant will discuss the skills and knowledge required to work in accordance with an issued permit. It aims to ensure that people working under a permit to work understand the system, know the limitations of the permit under which they are working and comply with all the requirements of the permit.

This Confined Space training applies to persons who are required to conduct work activities under the authority of an issued permit to work and within the context and requirements of that permit. This typically applies to all work done by maintenance staff and contractors and also to any other non-process work performed on the plant.

Confined Space Training Course Outline

– Atmospheric monitoring and gas detection
– Australian Standards and relevant legislation (See SafeWork Australia Model Laws)
– Case studies
– Fall protection equipment
– Identification and control of hazards
– Identifying confined spaces
– Lockout and tag out methods of isolation
– Practical entry into a confined space
– Risk assessments and hierarchy of hazard controls
– Roles and responsibilities of management and workers
– Safety and emergency procedures
– Work according to a confined space permit
– Work site policy and procedures
– Write work plans and risk assessments

This course is recommended for:
– Electrical engineers
– Injury prevention personnel
– Lift operators and installers
– Maintenance personnel
– WHS Officer / OHS officers
– Risk managers
– Safety inspectors
– Safety personnel
– Telecommunications and cable installation personnel
– Transport industry workers
– Workers who will be performing confined space work, but are not required to write a permit, monitor gas levels, wear breathing apparatus.

Check out our Training Events page for upcoming training events being completed inhouse. Alternatively, one of our experienced safety consultants can go to your organisation and deliver the training.

We offer a range of health and safety courses, safety training and WHS consultancy services.

Contact us today for an obligation free quote on any of our services.

Who needs Confined Space Training?

Anyone working in or around an area of the workplace that meets the definition of a confined space, should attend confined space training. The employer has the duty to ensure that the confined space training is adequate to protect the health and safety of the workers who work in or around the confined space.

Those who actually perform the Hazard Assessment, create the Confined Space Entry program, enter or attend a Confined Space, or supervise and entry will require further confined space training.

What is a confined space?

From the WHS Regulation a confined space means an enclosed or partially enclosed space that:

is not designed or intended primarily to be occupied by a person; and
is, or is designed or intended to be, at normal atmospheric pressure while any person is in the space; and
is or is likely to be a risk to health and safety from:
- an atmosphere that does not have a safe oxygen level, or
- contaminants, including airborne gases, vapours and dusts, that may cause injury from fire or explosion, or
- harmful concentrations of any airborne contaminants, or
- engulfment.

Confined spaces are commonly found in vats, tanks, pits, pipes, ducts, flues, chimneys, silos, containers, pressure vessels, underground sewers, wet or dry wells, shafts, trenches, tunnels or other similar enclosed or partially enclosed structures, when these examples meet the definition of a confined space in the WHS Regulations. Any person entering these areas must complete confined space training applicable to the workspace.

What is not a confined space for the purposes of the WHS Regulation?

The following kinds of workplaces are also generally not confined spaces for the purposes of the WHS Regulation:
– places that are intended for human occupancy and have adequate ventilation, lighting and safe means of entry and exit, such as offices and workshops
– some enclosed or partially enclosed spaces that at particular times have harmful airborne contaminants but are designed for a person to occupy, for example abrasive blasting or spray painting booths
– enclosed or partially enclosed spaces that are designed to be occasionally occupied by a person if the space has a readily and conveniently accessible means of entry and exit via a doorway at ground level, for example:
– a cool store accessed by a LPG forklift to move stock – although the use of a LPG forklift in a cool store can be hazardous, the door at ground level means that once the alarm is raised, escape and rescue can happen quickly
– a fumigated shipping container with a large ground level opening will facilitate easy escape and rescue.

Trenches are not considered confined spaces based on the risk of structural collapse alone, but will be confined spaces if they potentially contain concentrations of airborne contaminants that may cause impairment, loss of consciousness or asphyxiation. Though workers do NOT require confined space training, they still must be trained in controlling the specific risks in those workplaces.

Who has health and safety duties in relation to a confined space?

A person conducting a business or undertaking has the primary duty under the WHS Act to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that workers and other persons are not exposed to health and safety risks arising from the business or undertaking. This confined space training will assist in discharging this duty.

The WHS Regulations include specific obligations on a person conducting a business or undertaking who has management or control of a confined space.

Designers, manufacturers and suppliers of plant or structures that include a space that is intended, or is likely to become, a confined space must eliminate the need for any person to enter a confined space and eliminate the risk of inadvertent entry or, if this is not reasonably practicable, ensure safe means of entry and exit and minimise risks to the health and safety of any person who enters the confined space.

Officers, such as company directors, have a duty to exercise due diligence to ensure that the business or undertaking complies with the WHS Act and Regulations. This includes taking reasonable steps to ensure that the business or undertaking has and uses appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise risks that arise from entry into confined spaces.

Workers must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that their work does not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons. Workers must comply with any reasonable instructions given relating to confined space entry permits, risk control measures and emergency procedures, and should carry out work in a confined space in accordance with any relevant information and confined space training provided to them.

Emergency service workers are not required to comply with some requirements for entering confined spaces when either rescuing a person or providing first aid to a person in the space.

Who needs Confined Space Training?

Anyone working in or around an area of the workplace designated as a Confined Space should be trained at the awareness level. The employer has the duty to ensure that the confined space awareness training is adequate to protect the health and safety of the workers who work in or around the confined space.

Those who actually perform the Hazard Assessment, create the Confined Space Entry program, enter or attend a Confined Space, or supervise and entry will require further confined space training.

Do I need a Confined Space Entry Permit?

A confined space entry permit provides a formal check to ensure all elements of a safe system of work are in place before people are allowed to enter the confined space. It also provides a means of communication between site management, supervisors and those carrying out the work. This ensures that the person conducting the business or undertaking has checked and authorised the entry to the confined space and it is safe to proceed.

Workers attending this Confined Space training will be competent in determining the permit requirements for confined space entries.

A confined space entry permit must be issued for each entry into the confined space. Each permit only applies to one confined space and allows one or more workers to enter that space. A competent person who directs and supervises the work should be nominated and authorised to issue the permit on behalf of the business or undertaking.

A confined space entry permit is also required when a person enters a confined space to conduct the initial hazard identification or risk assessment. The permit may need to be revised after the risk assessment is completed.

A competent person is one who has acquired through training, qualification or experience, the knowledge and skills to carry out this task.