10 QUESTIONS

FOR SAFE WORK IN

CONFINED SPACES

CONFINED SPACE: A FULLY OR PARTIALLY ENCLOSED SPACE THAT IS NOT DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED
FOR CONTINUOUS HUMAN OCCUPANCY, HAS LIMITED OR RESTRICTED MEANS FOR ENTRY OR EXIT, AND
WHERE THERE IS A RISK OF INJURY OR HEALTH EFFECT FROM HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES OR CONDITIONS.

1 PRE-JOB
BRIEFING 6 EQUIPMENT
CHECK
4 Were all team members present at the Pre-job briefing 4 Has equipment (i.e. respiratory, PPE), been inspected &
(Toolbox Talk/Last Minute Risk Assessment). approved for use?

4 Is level of supervision established for conducting confined 4 Has gas testing/ monitoring equipment been bump tested prior
space work? to use and calibrated at the appropriate frequency?

2 PLANNING &
AUTHORIZATION
PERMIT
7 ENTRY
& EXIT
4 Using the Permit to Work (PTW) system, was the scope of 4 Is a competent Attendant present at all times?
DANGER
work and Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) approved by relevant
authorities and hazards/ controls reviewed with the team?
4 Is there effective communications with work party members
& Emergency Responders? (e.g. radio) HIGH-HAZARD
CONFINED SPACE PERMIT
4 Are all entry points identified, signed and barricaded AND SAFETY ATTENDANT
when unattended? REQUIRED

3 QUALIFICATION
& COMPETENCY 8 LIGHTING &
VENTILATION
4 Does the work party understand Confined Space Work 4 Is there enough light to safely work and exit in the event of
policies/ procedures, proper use and location of portable gas Qualification
an emergency?
detectors, safety equipment, and job specific hazards?
4 Is there a plan for effective ventilation?

4 ISOLATION
VERIFICATION 9 ENERGY
SOURCES
4 Has isolation been properly verified so that no stored energy 4 Can air driven or low voltage electrical equipment be used?
or hazards remain (walk the line) and demonstrated to those MOTION HEIGHT
persons protected by the isolation?
4 Has grounding protection been verified?
PRESSURE ELECTRICITY
4 What hazards do the equipment being used in the confine
space introduce? FIRE/EXPLOSION TOXICS
THERMAL PEOPLE

5 GAS
TESTING 10 EMERGENCY
RESPONSE PLAN
4 Has work site gas testing been conducted by an authorised 4 Does the work party know what to do in the event of an
gas tester? incident and are they sufficiently aware of the Emergency
Response plan?
4 Is the frequency and sample location of gas testing/ monitoring
during the operation appropriate to the risk?

Visit the operational safety (GET) intranet site for additional resources:
http://sww.shell.com/hse/safety/operational/index.html REVISION 1. 8.15