CONFINED SPACE ENTRY

Why this is important

This checklist identifies the hazard controls that must be considered when you prepare a Work Permit
for activities that include confined space entry.

Definitions
Confined space: Any enclosed or partially enclosed space that meets the following criteria:
 Is not designed or intended primarily to be occupied by a person; and
 Is, or is designed or 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 one or more of the following:
 An atmosphere that does not have a safe oxygen level
 Contaminants, including airborne gases, vapours and dusts, that may cause injury from fire or
explosion
 Harmful concentrations of any airborne contaminants
 Engulfment
Work Permit for confined space entry: Combination of the following documents:
 Work Permit, plus
 CSE Risk assessment: Pits and trenches;
 CSE risk assessment: Global retail entry into LPG vessels
Risk Assessments for Confined Space Entry not covered by the above shall be subject to a separate
Risk Assessment for that task.

Examples of Confined Spaces include tank sumps where the person will have their head within the
sump (ie below ground level), any cavity, sump, trench or excavation with a depth of 1.2m or greater;
tanks.

Hazards and consequences

Hazard Potential consequences

1. Hydro Carbon fumes Asphyxiation

2. Hydrogen Sulphide Poisoning
3. CO Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
4. Low level of Oxygen, less than 20% Asphyxiation
5. Lead Poisoning
6. Uncontrolled introduction of gas or Asphyxiation and/or
liquid product entering confined space engulfment
7. Uncontrolled ingress of water into Engulfment
confined space
8. Foam Engulfment
 9. Fall Severe injury or death
10. Moving equipment, mechanical Crushing
agitators, stirring equipment
11. Faulty electrical equipment Electrocution
12. Hot and humid weather Heat Stress
13. Flammable vapours Fire, explosion and
asphyxiation
14. Uncontrolled introduction of steam or Burns and asphyxiation
hot oil into confined space
15. Noise Ear damage
16. Uncontrolled ingress of fumes or gases Poisoning or asphyxiation
from adjacent tanks or areas
17. Oxygen enrichment Spontaneous and increased
flammability
18. Restricted entry or exit Entrapment
19. Trench collapse, static and dynamic Severe accident or death
loads adjoining trench

General precautions & Controls

Risk assessments
The Permit Issuer must ensure that these controls are followed:

1. A risk assessment is prepared for confined space entry and is attached to the Permit. If
applicable the following is to be attached to the permit:
— CSE Risk assessment: Pits and trenches.
2. All work in a confined space entry must be completed in accordance with the
conditions outlined in the Work Permit.

3. A job hazard analysis must be completed in conjunction with the Work Permit.

4. Entry to a confined space is not allowed unless the Work Permit is authorised and
validated by a Lead Permit Issuer and the conditions of the Work Permit are accepted
by the contractor supervisor.

Ventilation and atmospheric monitoring

1. If welding, cutting, or other tasks that generate or accumulate vapour or fumes that
could cause a change to the safe working atmosphere are carried out, then
appropriate mechanical ventilation must operate at all times when people are in the
confined space.
 2. Before a person enters a confined space, atmospheric monitoring for Oxygen and
flammable vapours must be carried out by an Authorised Gas Tester (AGT).
Atmospheric monitoring must be maintained during the confined space entry as
deemed necessary and in accordance with the conditions outlined on the Work
Permit. This test must be documented and provided with the Permit.

3. If contaminants or heat in the confined space can affect people’s health, then before
entry, a ventilation plan or other controls are recorded in the Permit and verify that
the controls are in place. Do NOT use oxygen or oxygen-enriched air to ventilate a
confined space.

4. If deemed necessary that continuous monitoring of atmosphere is to be maintained,

then gas detector must be in the area of work being carried out and must be able to
be heard (in the event of an alarm) by person doing the work or monitoring.

5. When exiting for breaks or other reasons, gas testing equipment used for continuous
monitoring is to be taken out of the confined space and retesting of atmosphere is to
be done prior to re-entry.

Energy sources (e.g. lighting)

1. The Permit includes the controls required to manage the risks from energy sources
used inside the confined space. If electrical equipment is needed inside the confined
space (e.g. lighting) then low voltage equipment is used if it is available. If low voltage
equipment is not available, an earth leakage current device or ground fault circuit
interrupter must be used to protect people against electric shock.

2. If required, have blood and urine tests for lead completed. If unsure, obtain advice
from Shell Health.

Attendant’s responsibilities

1. Prevent unauthorized entry and take action if conditions change

2. Maintain a log sheet of people in the confined space.
3. If people are inside a confined space, monitor the confined space from outside at all
times and maintain communication with the people in the confined space.
4. If ventilation systems fail, contaminants exceed agreed limits, conditions become
unsafe, or other emergencies occur at the site require people to be evacuated, stop the
work and evacuate the confined space.
5. If there is an emergency, activate the emergency response team.
6. Do NOT attempt a rescue people from the confined space unless the rescue is
conducted in accordance with the rescue plan.

Gas testing
 1. The person performing gas testing must be an authorized gas tester
2. Gas Tester must carry out the gas test before the permit is issued and at the
frequencies sufficient to verify that the people in the confined space are protected
from atmospheric hazards.
3. If there are deviations in oxygen levels or in the contaminant levels of toxics or
flammables detected, then the risks are assessed and appropriate action taken.

4. Prior to, and at all times during the confined space entry, flammable gas readings (LEL)
must be maintained below the values in the following table and according to the
activity required to be undertaken while in the confined space:

ACTIVITY % LEL
Safe for people to enter and carry out initial inspection
and cleaning with appropriate air supplied breathing
apparatus.
<5%
Safe for use of portable equipment approved for Class
1, Zone 0.
ANY
CONFINED Mechanical ventilation must be maintained if required.
SPACE The persons shall be removed unless continuous
monitoring with a suitably calibrated explosive
(flammable) atmospheric substance detector is used in >5 < 10
the confined space at all times while persons are
present. Breathing apparatus must be worn.
no persons shall remain in the confined space  10
Safe for people to enter and carry out hot or cold work.
Not
Mechanical / natural ventilation must be maintained as
detectable
necessary according to Oxygen monitoring.
<1%
Entry without breathing apparatus.

Oxygen levels

When people are working in a confined space, Oxygen levels must be monitored and must
remain between:
1. 20.0% and 21.5% at all times without respiratory protection.
2. 16% and 20.0% with respiratory protection

Entry and access

1. Barricades or other means of preventing unauthorised entry must be maintained at all
times, particularly if a confined space is left unattended for any period.

2. Safe and secure means of access and entry must be provided to the confined space.

3. Only people who have received training in confined space entry are permitted to enter the
 confined space. Refresher training should occur at least every three years.

4. Verification has been obtained that isolation from all potential sources of hazardous
material and energy, including radiation, through the use of isolation points that are
placed as close as possible to the confined space, is in place and effective in accordance
with the safe isolation requirements outlined in the lockout and tag out procedure.

Breathing apparatus

1. People are only allowed to enter a confined space with respiratory protection when the
source, nature and concentration of the hazardous atmosphere is understood. Check that
the respiratory protection equipment complies with Australian Standards and is of a high
quality. The quality of air supplied from bottles, compressors or ventilators must be
verified.

2. If self-contained BA is required to be used to enter a confined space, the observer must be

trained in its use. When a person is in the confined space, at least two spare sets of BA
must be available outside the confined space and ready for use at all times.

3. If self-contained breathing apparatus (BA) is deemed necessary to enter a confined space,

only people who have received and have current confined-space-entry training and BA
training are permitted to enter the confined space. Note: persons wearing BA are required
to be clean shaven.

Safety harness

If considered necessary or as set out in the Work Permit, a suitable rescue harness must be
worn by people who enter the confined space.

Equipment

1. Gas bottles and welding machines must remain outside a confined space and be at least
15 metres from the confined space and downwind to prevent an accumulation of
gas/fumes.

2. Portable engine-driven equipment or vehicles must NOT be operated within 15 metres of

a confined space.

Protective Equipment Requirements for Leaded Tank Entry

Note 1. Cross reference PPE guide below to the table in the next page.

Note 2. Entry to any tank < 150m3 in size requires the full time employment of breathing apparatus.
Note 3. Adequate ventilation must be maintained at all times a person enters a tank, ie all manholes to
be open, natural ventilation with a wind sail or mechanical ventilation. If the air is still
mechanical ventilation must be used

Note 4. The minimum requirements for any person entering any tank that has contained leaded product
is to change outer clothing (eg overalls) and wash hands immediately on leaving the work site.
Heavily soiled overalls should not be reworn. Disposable overalls should be treated as hazardous
waste. Cotton overalls should be washed separately by an industrial laundry.

Level Description

A Local clothing requirements

B Overalls, boots, gloves and glasses
C Overalls, boots, PVC gloves, glasses and cartridge / canister respirator
D Overalls, boots, leather gloves, glasses and cartridge / canister respirator
E Overalls, boots, gloves, glasses and Air supplied breathing apparatus
F Overalls, PVC / rubber boots, PVC gloves, glasses and Air supplied breathing apparatus

Conditions
1. Respiratory protection should be used to protect against solvents when applying the lining material.
Breathing apparatus may not be required where permitted in the manufacturers MSDS.
2. In this context cold work includes any activity which does not physically heat a metal surface. A
respirator must be worn if cold work generates dust and hence potential for exposure to inorganic
lead.
3. Blast cleaning/lining treatment may not clear leaded product from under floor plates or between
lapped plates. It will be necessary to drill into these spaces and test with gas tester.
4. This applies to any person entering tank while hot work is in progress even if hot worker is outside
tank.
5. Ensure external surfaces are not coated with lead based paint within 150mm of hot work, otherwise
revert to C.

Air supplied breathing apparatus

Various combinations of protective equipment as described below are suitable:
1. PVC gloves, PVC rubber or neoprene boots, air-supplied suit and helmet (with vortex cooler in hot
climates);
2. PVC gloves, PVC, rubber or neoprene boots, neoprene or PVC-proofed overalls, plus air-supplied
breathing apparatus and soft head protection; or
3. For hot climates and if air-supplied suit and vortex cooler are not available: PVC gloves, PVC, rubber
or neoprene boots, cotton overalls plus air-supplied breathing apparatus and head protection.
Specific precautions – Isolation & Tagging

1. A Work Permit and an Isolation List must be used to control work and to identify each point
that a lock and tag is applied to.
2. Isolation and tagging on operational fuel pipelines must be carried out by person operating
or maintaining the asset, and is knowledgeable and responsible for the asset.
3. Isolation register must be maintained for each lock out/tagout activity.
4. A Risk Assessment is to be done prior to work to ensure the correct asset is being worked
on and that the assets match with drawings.
5. When a section of pipeline is to be electrically and mechanically isolated, this is achieved by
positive isolation and by locking and tagging the opening and closing mechanisms on
valves, electrical controls on valves, in electrical switch rooms, or other applicable
electrical control panels.
6. The contractor may be required to isolate or lock or tag valves in the OPEN or CLOSED
position as part of the work procedure.
7. If a person is required to use dry ice to vent a pipeline, a procedure must be specified in the
permit.
8. Isolation locks must be single key operation and not able to be operated by a master key
system. Keys to isolation locks must be retained until the section of line is handed over to
the Contractor.
9. If a valve is NOT able to be locked in the OPEN or CLOSED position, the handle must be
removed as part of the isolation and tag installation.
10. Double block and bleed valves that are isolated during the decommissioning set up must
be checked to ensure that product is NOT passing. This must be checked by opening the
body bleed valve after the section of the line has been de-pressurised to confirm that the
valve is NOT passing from the pressure side.
11. Blind flanges must always be fitted to open sections of an isolated pipe, valve or fitting.
Blind flanges must be appropriately rated including gaskets.
12. Check for thermal relief adequacy.
13. The Contractor’s supervisor is responsible for monitoring and maintenance of the isolation
for the duration of the works.
14. Before isolation is removed from a section of pipeline, the operational suitability and the
potential impact of product flow, pressure or temperature must be reviewed with the
Shell Engineer or authorised person.
15. Isolation tagging and locks must be removed by the person who installed these. When the
responsible person stops work due to a shift change, the removal of the isolation tags and
locks must be handed over during the shift change.
16. When the work is completed, keys must be returned and locks must be removed. Removal
of isolation must be signed off by the contractor named on the Work Permit.
17. The asset must be recommissioned slowly filling and bleeding air to reduce static.
Other Instructions

The Lead Permit Issuer is to ensure that isolating controls and the placing and removing locks and tags
have been carried out and to also ensure the following tasks have been done:

1. Shut down equipment and remove or drain sources of stored energy

2. Isolate equipment from hazards by disconnecting equipment or installing or operating isolation
devices as close as possible to the equipment being worked on
3. Install blinds, or place locks and completed tags at isolation points to make it clear to people that the
equipment is isolated
4. Use locks and tags that:
- are readily identified as locks and tags that are used only for isolation
- identify the name of the person who attached the lock and tag
- identify the time the lock and tag was attached
- are substantial, weatherproof and secure enough to prevent unauthorised or inadvertent
removal.
5. Verify that the equipment is properly isolated and that there is no stored energy or hazards.
6. When the work is complete, tell affected people about your plans to remove isolation and put
equipment back in service.
7. Advise people that they must ONLY remove their individual lock.
8. Ensure people authorised to remove the tag/s, do so only when there is an agreed plan to remove
isolation and tags
9. When equipment is placed into service or energised, let affected people know

Responsibilities of person being protected

The person protected by isolation is responsible for the following activities:

1. Physically check each isolation.

2. Before you start work on an isolated section of the pipeline, keep isolation keys in your possession
unless specified in a Group lock-out and tag-out procedure.

3. Do NOT remove a lock or tag that has been attached by other people unless authorised to do so by a
Group lock-out and tag-out procedure.

4. Do NOT operate or energise a device that is locked or tagged.

5. If a tag has fallen off or is misplaced, advise the person named on the tag or their supervisor.

6. Remove and return locks and tags as specified by the lock-out and tag-out procedure.

Person completing this checklist

Name:

Signature:

Company:

Date: