This course specifies the skills and knowledge required to work safely on construction sites where the worker is required to enter and work in a confined space.

Many workplaces have confined spaces such as pits, drains and structural voids in buildings or equipment. They often have poor ventilation that can allow a hazardous atmosphere to quickly develop. The hazards are not always obvious, may change from one entry into the confined space to the next and depend on the workplace or environmental circumstances.

What is a confined space?

A ‘confined space’ is defined as an enclosed or partially enclosed space that:

• is not designed to be occupied by a person, and

• is 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—

  1. an unsafe oxygen level, or

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

  3. harmful concentrations of any airborne contaminants, or

  4. 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.

The risks

When working in confined spaces, there are serious health and safety risks, for example:

• loss of consciousness, injury or death from contaminants in the air

• a fire or explosion that kills or seriously injures

• suffocation from oxygen deficiency

• crushing or suffocation from something like grain, sand, flour or fertiliser if you fall into it

Incidents in confined spaces have sometimes involved multiple deaths. Other workers enter a space to rescue a victim, unaware of the risks. However, they can also be overcome by toxic fumes or gases.

Prerequisite - CPCCWHS1001Prepare to work safely in the construction industry (White Card)