Do you need a confined space risk assessment template? Here is a confined space risk assessment example you can overwrite and adapt.
Why do you need a confined space risk assessment?
Risk assessment is an important feature of any management system, and a confined spaces risk assessment will help you build a robust, safe system of work.
A risk assessment should focus on how confined spaces present risks in routine operations and environments, and the broad controls to be implemented, under your organisation’s confined spaces policy.
Please remember that whilst a confined spaces policy and risk assessment is critical, each tasks and location should be assessed individually, either through task assessments or location surveys to ensure the specific nature of risks is understood, and informed decisions on controls can be made.
We recommend reading our article, Confined space risk assessment: a comprehensive guide to ensure your risk assessment covers your organisation’s specific requirements.
Who can conduct a confined space risk assessment?
Completing a confined spaces risk assessment requires specific knowledge on The Confined Spaces Regulations 1997, and the Approved Code of Practice L101 ‘Safe Work in Confined Spaces’.
Therefore, it is important to note that a confined spaces risk assessment must be conducted by a competent person to ensure the assessment meets all legal requirements, considers all hazards and confined spaces, and, details all appropriate controls, for implementation.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) define a ‘competent person’ as someone who has the ‘skills, knowledge and experience to be able to recognise hazards in your business and help you put sensible controls in place to protect workers and others from harm’.
A competent person may be someone employed by your organisation or you can outsource to an experienced health and safety consultant. Praxis42 Limited can provide you with a competent consultant to conduct your assessments. Our consultants can also conduct confined spaces surveys or produce a confined spaces register on your behalf.
Please note, at Praxis42 we also provide Confined Space Training, an online course for employees and contractors. This short course raises awareness of the hazards of working in confined spaces and practical ways to eliminate or reduce risks.
