Confined Spaces - Deadly Spaces

To reduce accidents and incidents, workers and managers need to understand the dangers of working within the unique area of a confined space and to avoid unnecessary loss of life.

When a person enters a low oxygen environment, and the low oxygen air reaches their lungs, the blood circulating the brain is reduced. The lack of circulation can severely impair judgement, coordination, their ability to exert strength and an inability to find their way out of the confined space which can lead to death.  

Confined space entry is 50% - 100% more dangerous than other industry operations. Many think they can hold their breath or only spend limited time in the confined space, believing they are not at risk. Over the period 2000-2012 there were 59 confined space related deaths identified across Australia (1). For confined space fatalities in Western Australia, over 92% were ruled as a lack of training in confined space entry.  

In addition, 90% listed inadequate supervisor knowledge and supervisions as the secondary factor leading to death (2). Of the workplaces affected, only 15% were considered to have appropriate procedures in place to handle confined space entry. The failure of workers, supervisors, and managers to recognise a confined space is an issue. If they enter a confined space without evaluating dangers, risks or taking the correct precautions, they run the risk of a serious accident that could lead to death.  

So, what exactly is a confined space? Confined spaces are easily confused with small spaces, but the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW) defines a confined space as 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:

i. an atmosphere that does not have a safe oxygen level, or

ii. contaminants, including airborne gases, vapours and dusts, that may cause injury from fire or explosion, or  

iii. harmful concentrations of any airborne contaminants, or 

iv. engulfment 

Confined spaces can be found in vats, tanks, pits, pipes, ducts, flues, chimneys, silos, pressure vessels, underground sewers, wet or dry wells, shafts, shipboard spaces, void spaces or other similar enclosed or partially enclosed structures. 

So how do workers operate within confined spaces safely and what does this mean for workers, supervisors, and managers? 

The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW), define both employee and employer obligations must ensure a healthy and safe workplace. In addition, workers have a duty to minimise or eliminate risk to provide safe entry to, and work in a confined space. Non-compliance of the WHS Act is illegal and may result  in formal notices including financial penalties. 

In the unlikely event of an emergency, consideration needs to be given to the emergency rescue plan and the response time especially if the situation involves hypoxia. In an oxygen deficient atmosphere, the reaction or emergency response time, could change from a successful rescue, into a body recovery. Internationally, 60% of confined space fatalities were rescuers who had received no formal training in performing a rescue from a confined space (2). 

Confined spaces may have a hazardous atmosphere where toxic or poisonous gases may be present. These can rarely be detected by human senses and by the time it is realised, it is often too late. Workers entering a confined space must consider all possibilities, risks, potential errors, selection and maintenance of equipment and work activity within a site to avoid catastrophic consequences.   

The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW) also states that a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) must ensure that relevant workers are provided with suitable and adequate information, training and instruction in relation to:  

• The nature of all hazards relating to a confined space  
• The need for, and the appropriate use of, control measures to control risks to health and safety associated with those hazards  
• The selection, fit, use, wearing, testing, storage and maintenance of any personal protective equipment  
• The contents of any confined space entry permit that may be issued in relation to work carried out by the worker in a confined space  
• Emergency procedures 

To reduce accidents and incidents, workers and managers need to understand the dangers of working within the unique area of a confined space and to avoid unnecessary loss of life. SGS believes that, by providing comprehensive training to workers for working in and around confined spaces will help to reduce these incidents and accidents within the workplace.  

For more information or to discover SGS’s range of confined space training courses visit our course pages. 

About SGS

We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognised as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 96,000 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world.

(1) Source - Selman, J. and Spickett, J. and Jansz, J. and Mullins, B. 2017. Work-related traumatic fatal injuries involving confined spaces in Australia, 2000-2012. Journal of Health, Safety and Environment.  

(2) WA University Study/ Workcover VIC/ Workcover QLD/ Workcover NSW/ Workcover WA/ Workcover SA/ Workcover NT 

(3) The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW)