Confined Space Training Certificate Risk Assessment & Permit to Work 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What information should a confined space risk assessment specifically identify about the space?
- All likely hazards, who might be harmed, existing controls, and required additional control measures (Correct answer)
- Only the gas hazards present
- Only the physical dimensions and entry route
- The emergency services contact details only
Correct answer: All likely hazards, who might be harmed, existing controls, and required additional control measures
A confined space risk assessment must identify all likely hazards (atmospheric, physical, biological, thermal), who might be harmed (entrants, attendants, passers-by), existing controls and their adequacy, and the additional control measures needed. It must be suitable, sufficient, and documented.
Question 2: Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, who must carry out a risk assessment?
- The employer, or a competent person appointed by the employer (Correct answer)
- Any employee who requests to enter the space
- The HSE inspector before any work can start
- The equipment supplier who provides gas detectors
Correct answer: The employer, or a competent person appointed by the employer
The employer has the legal duty to carry out risk assessments under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. In practice, a competent person appointed by the employer conducts the assessment on their behalf. The employer retains legal responsibility.
Question 3: What does a 'dynamic risk assessment' mean in confined space work?
- An ongoing assessment of conditions throughout the work, adjusting controls if conditions change (Correct answer)
- A risk assessment conducted by a risk assessment specialist
- A computer-generated risk model updated in real time
- A risk assessment that only covers dynamic hazards such as falling objects
Correct answer: An ongoing assessment of conditions throughout the work, adjusting controls if conditions change
A dynamic risk assessment is the continuous process of reassessing conditions during the work itself. Workers and attendants must monitor changing conditions (gas levels, weather, adjacent operations) and be empowered to stop work and evacuate if conditions deteriorate unexpectedly.
Question 4: What is the purpose of 'lock-out tag-out' (LOTO) in confined space isolation procedures?
- To physically lock energy isolation devices in the safe position and tag them so they cannot be re-energised without authorisation (Correct answer)
- To lock the confined space entry to prevent unauthorised access
- To tag completed permit to work documents for filing
- To lock gas detection equipment to the entrant's harness
Correct answer: To physically lock energy isolation devices in the safe position and tag them so they cannot be re-energised without authorisation
Lock-out tag-out ensures that once an energy source (electrical switch, valve, mechanical coupling) is isolated for confined space entry, it is physically locked in the isolated position. A tag identifies who applied the lock and why. No one can restore power until the lock is removed by the authorised person.
Question 5: What action should a risk assessment require before using mechanical ventilation in a confined space?
- Confirm the ventilation inlet is placed in clean air, not recirculating contaminated air, and the air is directed throughout the space (Correct answer)
- Simply switch on any available fan and leave it running
- Place the fan inside the space to maximise airflow
- Ventilate only after initial gas readings show the space is safe
Correct answer: Confirm the ventilation inlet is placed in clean air, not recirculating contaminated air, and the air is directed throughout the space
Mechanical ventilation must draw from a clean air source — placing the inlet in contaminated air will pump hazardous gases into the space. The air supply must be directed throughout the space (not just near the entry point) and ventilation must be continuous during occupation.
Question 6: How frequently should gas monitoring be conducted during a confined space entry?
- Continuously throughout the entry using a calibrated instrument worn by the entrant or placed in the breathing zone (Correct answer)
- Once before entry and once on exit
- Every 30 minutes by the outside attendant
- Only when the entrant reports symptoms
Correct answer: Continuously throughout the entry using a calibrated instrument worn by the entrant or placed in the breathing zone
Atmospheric conditions can change at any time during entry — gas releases, process changes, or disturbed sediment can rapidly alter the atmosphere. Continuous monitoring with an instrument in the entrant's breathing zone provides the earliest possible warning of deteriorating conditions.
Confined Space Training Certificate Risk Assessment & Permit to Work 3
What information should a confined space risk assessment specifically identify about the space?