Top Tips for Staying Safe while performing Confined Space Entry

Stuart Halliday, a CMIOSH-approved HSE professional, works with the Mintra team to advise on our health and safety courses and ensure that our course content is both compliant with industry standards and relevant to our end users.

Here, he gives us some of his key takeaways to consider when involved in confined space entry (CSE).

1. Check that all the isolations are in place, not only isolating the product but any machinery, e.g. actuator blades. Check that electrical isolation has taken place and think about level meters: they are often nucleonic sources that come with their own separate hazards, so talk to your site radiation protection supervisor (RPS).
2. Also ensure all work personnel are trained and competent to be able to do their part in the job. The standby person is one of the most important positions during a CSE and should be competent in the role.
3. Check all equipment including rescue equipment and ensure that rescue has been planned adequately should anything unexpected happen.
4. Good planning and hazard identification are key to any successful CSE.
5. Generic rescue plans have limited value and I would always look to see how and when the rescue was last practised.

Campaigns that continue to highlight the hazards and consequences of CSE operations are always a good reminder. Like all things HSE-related, you have to continue to recycle through all the big safety topics and, in my opinion, this is certainly one. This is why all major operators and service providers have CSE as one of their life-saving rules.

Next Steps

Mintra's CSE course provides an excellent introduction/awareness to working within a confined space and also holds great value in being used as a refresher or as part of an induction process prior to any large maintenance campaign where there are significant amounts of CSE work planned.

The HSE enforcement site provides examples of where things have gone wrong in previous CSE exercises, and provides an excellent resource for additional learning http://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/index.htm

Learn more about CSE by completing the accredited Mintra online confined space entry training course.

Mintra partners with industry experts to bring you unique insights and practical guidance on the critical topics affecting you and your sector.

Stuart has a long track record in the oil and gas industry in various roles and in challenging conditions around the world. He has worked for Apache, BP and Wood Group and was also part of the Royal Army Medical Corps.