SUROJ BUILDCON PVT.

LTD

Confined Space Rescue Plan

Revision
Date Prepared Reviewed By Approved By Reviewed &
No.
by Approved by Client

Mr. Amol Shelke Mr. Raghuveer Singh Mr. Digambar Bhosale

15/07/20 0
23
Sr. EHS Officer Site EHS Manager (SBPL) Sr. Manager Project Manager / EHS
(SBPL) Projects (SBPL) Manager (ACX)

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Table of Contents

1.0 Title ....................................................................................................................... 3

2.0 Purpose................................................................................................................. 3

3.0 Scope & Application ............................................................................................ 3

4.0 Definitions ............................................................................................................ 3

5.0 Risk Assessment .................................................................................................. 4

6.0 Hierarchy of Control............................................................................................. 5

7.0 Permit to Work...................................................................................................... 8

8.0 Common Hazards ................................................................................................. 9

9.0 Record Keeping.................................................................................................... 9

10.0 Atmospheric Testing ...................................................................................... 9

11.0 Emergency Procedure ................................................................................... 10

12.0 Rescue Technique ......................................................................................... 12

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1.0 Title

This document must be cited as “Suroj Buildcon Pvt Ltd” construction Health & Safety
Standard– Confined Spaces”.

2.0 Purpose

The purpose of this Construction Health and Safety Standard is to provide the minimum
standards and detailed practical requirements that must be universally implemented
where Confined Spaces are present at our projects across all operating countries. The
standard must be applied by Sub Contractors on our projects. We require that work at
Confined Spaces is managed to provide the safest place of work possible for all people
who are present on our projects to reduce the risk of accidents or injury. We place the
safety of our staff, contractors and people who could be affected by our operations
firmly at the top of our management agenda. Through the application of this standard
we create a safe and healthy environment on our project and the safe management of
Confined Spaces will contribute to a reduction in accidents, injury and ill health.

3.0 Scope & Application

The standard must be applied to all confined spaces and when confined spaces are
being designed, managed, and entered. This standard is a condition of contract and
must be enforced and implemented by Contractors and their Sub- Contractors when
working on or at the project. The standard will establish a risk-based approach that
must be applied when managing or entering a confined space at the site and include
detailed requirements that must be applied. The standard applies to any confined
space as defined by this standard which is part of the overall project work.

4.0 Definitions

4.1 Contractor: Means a Contractor or an employer whose employees, carry out or manage
construction work or any person who carries out or manages construction work for a
fixed or other sum and who supplies the materials and labor (whether his own labor or
that of another) to carry out such work or who supplies the labor only.

4.2 Sub Contractors: Are defined as any Company or employer who is commissioned to
provide services to a Contractor working on the project.

4.3 Confined Space: Means any place, including any vessel, tank, container, vat, silo,
hopper, pit, bund, trench, pipe, sewer, flue, well, chamber, compartment, cellar or
other similar space which, by virtue of its enclosed nature creates conditions which give
rise to a likelihood of accident, harm or injury of such a nature as to require emergency
action due to:

(a) The presence or reasonably foreseeable presence of: (i) flammable or

explosive atmospheres, (ii) harmful gas, fume, or vapor, (iii) free flowing
solid or an increasing level of liquid, (iv) excess of oxygen, (v) excessively
high temperature.

(b) The lack or reasonably foreseeable lack of oxygen.

(c) Access, egress difficulties.

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4.4 Entry: The action by which a person passes through an opening into a permit-required
confined space. Entry includes ensuing work activities in that space and is considered to
have occurred as soon as any part of the entrant's body breaks the plane of an opening
into the space.

4.5 Atmospheric Testing: The process by which the hazards that may confront entrants of a
confined space are identified and evaluated. Testing includes specifying the tests that
are to be performed in the confined space. (Note: Testing enables the work crew to
both devise and implement adequate control measures for the protection of authorized
entrants and to determine if acceptable entry conditions are present immediately prior
to, and during, entry.)

4.6 Personal Protective Equipment: Personal Protective Equipment worn by personnel

working on the project to prevent personal injury/illness due to a risk associated with
the performance of job duties or a common risk in a particular area of the project.

4.7 Risk Assessments: Risk Assessments are recorded calculations of a combination of the
likelihood and nature of the hazardous event and the possible extent of the loss or
injury to persons. Also, more commonly a risk assessment is described as a recorded
evaluation of the likelihood of an event occurring multiplied by the possible
consequence of the event.

4.8 Project: Is defined as any construction, demolition, commissioning, civil engineering

and/or associated work as part of the construction, delivery, or handover of works for
Suroj Buildcon Pvt Ltd.

4.9 Competent Person: For any task means a person who has acquired knowledge or
training, qualifications, and experience to carry out the task.

4.10 Authorized Person: Is a person formally and properly empowered to perform specified
duties associated with an office or an agreement or contract.

4.11 Explosive Atmosphere: Means a mixture with air, under atmospheric conditions, of
flammable substance in the form of gasses, vapours, mists or dusts in which, after
ignition has occurred combustion spreads to the entire unburned mixture.

4.12 Exposure Limit: (LEL) - In relation to a flammable contaminant, the concentration of the
contaminant in air below which the propagation of a flame does not occur on contact
with an ignition source or (UEL) in relation to a flammable contaminant, the
concentration of the contaminant in air above which the propagation of a flame does
not occur on contact with an ignition source.

5.0 Risk Assessment

This confined space standard requires a risk-based approach to the entry of, confined
spaces, selection of equipment, rescue systems and systems of work for the safe
management of confined spaces. A risk assessment is a formal way of reviewing an
activity and identifying what can go wrong. Risk Assessments are required for all
confined spaces, and these said risk assessments must specify the arrangements that
will be put in place addressing:

• The Elimination and minimization of risks from confined spaces;

• Safe systems of work for planning, organizing and managing confined spaces;

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 • Systems for selecting suitable conditions for confined space entry;
• Systems for protecting people from the consequences of confined spaces;
• Secondary factors affecting confined spaces such as possible ingress of material;
• Testing of atmospheric conditions within a confined space;
• Competency requirements of persons who work in or manage confined space
risks;
• Systems to prevent unauthorised entry to a confined space.

The Risk Assessment and the Control Measures must be proportionate to the level of
injury or harm that could occur if no action was taken. It must include a careful
examination of what injury could be caused from the confined space with a view to
taking the necessary steps to reduce the likelihood of this harm occurring, either
through avoiding the activity or, where this is not reasonably practicable, by carrying it
out in a safe manner using the appropriate work equipment and systems of work. The
Hierarchy of Controls set out in this standard must be applied throughout the risk
assessment process. If the risks have been assessed and the control mechanisms that
can be implemented do not reduce the risk to an acceptable level, the task or operation
will need re-engineering or further detailed review.

Assessing the risks of confined spaces does not need to be complicated. In most cases
one can simply:
• Look for the confined space hazards;
• Decide who might be harmed and how;
• If a risk exists, consider ways of doing the task more safely;
• Take action to eliminate the risk; if it is not reasonably practicable to do so, then
reduce the risk.

However, people must always be provided with a safe place and not exposed to unsafe
conditions as are associated with confined spaces.

6.0 Hierarchy of Control

This standard will set out a simple hierarchy for managing confined spaces. The priority
is always to eliminate the risk of a confined space. Ways to do this include designing
out the confined spaces, or designing confined spaces that require minimal entry and
where necessary can be worked in safely. If elimination of the risk is not reasonably
practicable, the risk must be minimized through the application of the control measures
lower down in the hierarchy. Where it is reasonably practicable to undertake part of the
task using a higher-level control that level of risk control must be used to the extent
possible. Where a confined space risk remains the next level of controls must be
applied. The general hierarchy of control is set out beneath in descending order.

• Avoid the need for confined spaces wherever possible;

• Evaluation of unavoidable confined space risks;
• Reduce risk to the lowest level that is practicable;
• Adapt to technical progress in relation to equipment and systems of work;
• Use equipment or systems of work to reduce the risks that cannot be avoided;
• Where confined spaces cannot be eliminated, use management techniques such
as permits and work equipment or other measures to minimise the risk to persons
from the confined space.

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 Detailed Confined Space Risk Reduction Methods

6.1 Elimination
The ideal solution would be to eliminate the confined space hazard altogether, by
eliminating the need to enter confined space. Examples of eliminating the need to enter
the confined space may be achieved by:

• Initial design of the confined space that eliminates the need for entry.
• Performing the task or process from outside the confined space.
• Retrieving an object with long handled tools.
6.2 Substitution

Substitution involves replacing a hazard or work process with a less hazardous one.
Examples of controlling the risks associated with confined spaces through substitution
include:
• Cleaning walls or surfaces without chemicals (such as high-pressure water);
• Using non-toxic substances instead of toxic ones;
• Applying paints, solvents, or surface coatings with brushes, rather than aerosols;
• Replacing flammable substances with non-flammable ones.

6.3 Isolation & Engineering

When eliminating or substituting a hazard is not achievable, the next most preferred
method is to engineer out the hazard. This involves modifying the workplace, a process
to physically distance the worker from the hazard. Isolating the worker from the
hazard can also be effective. Examples of engineering and isolation include:

• Blocking service lines such as electrical cables, water pipes, air lines etc.;
• Guarding or securing moving machinery parts such as agitators, fans or blenders;
• Enclosing machinery to reduce noise;
• Thoroughly ventilating the space to ensure a safe oxygen level (e.g. in most confined
spaces, mechanical ventilation using fans and blowers will be needed to disperse
contaminants to a safe level);

• Ventilation System: Set up one or more blowers to provide adequate ventilation for the
space. Ventilation must be forced draft discharge of clean air into the space (not exhaust of
the space).

1. Ensure that ventilation air supply is from a clean source.

2. Allow enough time for blowers to clear the space before entering.
3. After a suitable ventilating period, repeat the testing.
4. Entry may not begin until testing has demonstrated that the hazardous atmosphere has
been eliminated.
5. Ensure that the blowers remain on during the entire entry operation. If the blower fails,
the entrant must leave the space immediately.

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 Picture: Blower

6.4 Information, Instruction and Training

Employees must work safely. They must be trained and instructed in safe systems of
work and safe work practices. Contractors must ensure a competent person maintains
supervision of employees when work is being carried out in confined spaces. The
required capabilities of a competent person will vary depending on the nature of the
confined space work being carried out. Training programs must emphasize
occupational safety and health and must provide opportunities for individuals to
develop new knowledge and skills. Training should be continued until the employer is
satisfied that each person has been trained to an acceptable standard of competence.
Details of such training should be suitably recorded, for example, in a personnel file and
a copy of the training must be available at the project.

Training and instruction programs must include:

• Induction on this standard, including training in safe methods of managing confined

spaces;
• Identification of hazards associated with confined spaces;
• The selection, fitting, care, use and storage of protective clothing and respiratory
protective equipment;
• Physical, chemical and biological hazards relating to work in or near confined spaces in
general and the particular confined space;
• Established healthy and safe work practices used by the Contractor, including lockout
and isolation procedures;
• Emergency procedures relating to the confined space, including rescue drills and the use
of safety equipment;
• Emergency entry and exit procedures;
• Communications.

A competent person must be capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards or

dangerous and unsafe working conditions in and around confined spaces and be
authorized to take prompt corrective action to eliminate same. A competent person
must have knowledge of, and experience in, the testing of atmospheric conditions and
use of protective systems and their causes of failure and the ability to detect conditions
in confined spaces that could result in unsafe condition for entrants.

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 The term 'competent person' is used extensively throughout this standard and the
necessary capabilities of the competent person in each particular instance will vary
depending on the complexity of the confined space work being carried out.

The scope of confined space work, by definition, varies from straightforward and simple
work such as inspecting newly constructed and previously unused confined spaces to
extremely complex and hazardous confined spaces such as an underground tank used
to store flammable material such as fuel. The knowledge and skills required of a
competent person will increase as the complexity of the confined space hazard
increases.

Training shall be given to persons who:

• Perform work in or on confined spaces;

• Perform confined space assessments;
• Issue entry permits;
• Design and lay out the workplace;
• Manage and/or supervise persons working in or near confined spaces.
• Maintain (including calibrate) equipment used for and during confined space
entries;
• Persons who wear and maintain personal protective equipment;
• Are on stand-by and/or are involved in rescue and first aid procedures.

Training should be evaluated and reviewed in consultation with relevant employees or

their representatives, in order to ensure that the content of the training program is
clearly understood by all and the overall objectives of the training programs have been
achieved, as well as to identify when further training is required.

7.0 Permit to Work

A system of controlling confined spaces and access to them by way of a permit to work.
The permits must be authorised by the client (ACX).

Applications for permits to work in confined spaces must be made in advance and
approved before the commencement of work.

The permit must be displayed prominently at the work area and must be valid only for
one work shift. Where the work extends beyond a single work shift a new work shift
starts and a new permit must be issued. Any relevant drawings, safe work method
statements, risk assessment and atmospheric tests, equipment certification and
calibration documents must accompany the permit and all persons involved in the
confined space or who must work in the confined space as part of another task or
activity must be signed onto the permit.
A “permit-to-work” procedure is a means of achieving effective control of a system of
work through formal written documentation, known as a permit-to-work form.
The essential components of a permit-to-work system include:
• A written procedure, which sets out how the system is to operate and clearly
defines who may authorise particular jobs and who is responsible for specifying and
implementing the necessary precautions;

• A form, known as the “permit-to-work form”, which becomes a written and signed
statement ensuring both the establishment of safe conditions for the work to
commence and the maintenance of safe conditions for the duration of the work,
including the provision of emergency arrangements;

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 • A method of informing the persons carrying out the work of the exact identity,
location, nature and extent of the job, the hazards involved and the precautions to
be taken; and
• A system for ensuring the safe hand-back / return of ownership of the workplace
after the job is completed and, in the case of confined space entry, after the space
is vacated.

For a permit-to-work procedure to operate successfully, it is essential that training and

instruction be provided in the issue and use of permits. Monitoring will also be required
to ensure that the system works as intended.

8.0 Common Confined Space Hazards

The common hazards associated with confined spaces that must be considered during
the planning and management are:

• Toxic atmospheres;
• Oxygen deficiency;
• Oxygen enrichment;
• Flammable or explosive atmospheres;
• Free flowing liquid or solids;
• Dust or flammable vapours;
• Untrained persons working or supervising confined spaces;
• Dangerous residues;

• Mechanically powered apparatus;

• Biological risks and micro organisms;
• Excessive heat;
• Access and egress;
• Unauthorised entry;
• Site specific hazards relevant to the confined space;
• Rescue equipment hazards.

9.0 Record Keeping

All Confined Space Permit/s, Risk Assessment/s, Procedure/s, and other relevant
documents shall be retained.

An entry and exit log must be maintained. It must be signed by all persons who enter
the confined space and then re-signed when they leave the confined space.

10. Atmospheric Testing

Atmospheric testing must confirm:

• Oxygen levels fall within a ‘safe’ zone of between 19.5% and 23.5%. Levels below
the minimum can impair function and cause death, while levels above the maximum
increase the flammability of combustible materials;
• Any contaminants in the confined space must be below their relevant exposure
limits as quoted on the relevant Safety Data Sheet;

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 • Flammable contaminants must be below 5% of its lower explosive limit (LEL) prior
to entry;

Oxygen deficiency: Oxygen levels inside a confined space may fall below a ‘safe’ level (19.5%)
due to chemical or biological reactions. Situations which may bring these reactions, and thus
oxygen deficiency, include: combustion of flammable substances (such as welding, heating or
cutting); slow bacterial reactions of organic substances (e.g. the contents of a sewerage pit).

Low oxygen levels can cause asphyxiation. Symptoms of asphyxiation include increased
breathing and pulse rate, faulty judgement, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, loss of
consciousness and death. At concentrations below 6% oxygen, death will occur in
minutes.

Oxygen enrichment: A major cause of oxygen-enriched atmospheres relates to poorly designed

or maintained oxygen storage equipment. Leakage can occur from oxygen lines, pipes, and
fittings and thus, inadvertently enrich the atmosphere.

The equipment used to test an atmosphere within a confined space needs to be in good
working order and It must be calibrated before use, examined thoroughly and maintained in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Where practicable, initial testing must be carried out from the outside. Where entry is
necessary, it must be carried out using a safe system of work in accordance with this
standard.

11. Emergency Procedures

In certain circumstances, people may be exposed to serious and immediate danger.

Effective arrangements for raising the alarm and carrying out rescue operations in an
emergency are essential.
Contingency plans will depend on the nature of the confined space, the risks identified
and consequently the likely nature of an emergency rescue.

11.1 Specific Responsibilities

11.1.1 Confined Space Entry (CSE) Supervisor

The CSE Supervisor is responsible for verifying the following:

• The CSE permit has been signed by proper level of supervision before entry and
after it has been determined that all actions and conditions necessary for safe entry
have been performed and the permit requirements have been communicated to all
personnel involved;
• Test results are recorded on the CSE permit and initialled by the person performing
the test;
• The CSE permit contains the required information and the necessary procedures,
practices, and equipment are in effect;
• All confined spaces are monitored at appropriate intervals to confirm safe
conditions exist and, if not, entrants are evacuated and the permit is cancelled;
• Appropriate measures are taken to prevent entry of unauthorized personnel and
provide a means to remove them from all confined spaces;
• Rescue services are available for permit-required CSE;

At the end of a CSE:

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 • All personnel have left the space and are accounted for;
• All equipment and material has been removed from the confined space;
• Problems that arose during entries are documented on the CSE permit, and the
completed permit is retained.
• The permit writer conducts a final closure of the permit space and cancels the
permit.

11.1.2 Attendant

The attendant is responsible for the following:

• Remaining outside the confined space at all times during entry operations unless
relieved by another attendant;
• Maintaining a continuous, accurate count and identification of all individuals in the
confined space;
• Understanding and recognizing potential confined space hazards;
• Monitoring activities inside and outside the confined space to determine if it is safe
for entrants to remain in the space;
• Maintaining effective, continuous contact with entrants;
• Evacuating entrants immediately when:

1. A condition prohibited by the CSE permit is observed;

2. Behavioral effects of hazardous exposure are detected;
3. A hazard that could endanger entrants is detected inside or outside the
confined space.
• Taking the following actions when unauthorized individuals approach or enter a
confined space:
1. Warning the individual away from the confined space;
2. Requesting the individual to immediately exit the confined space (if he or she
has entered it);
3. Informing the entrants that an unauthorized individual has entered the confined
space.
• Preventing unauthorized personnel from performing a rescue in the event of an
emergency;
• Performing non-entry rescue, if possible;
• Performing no duties that interfere with the primary duty to monitor and protect
entrants;
• Signing the entry/exit log for confined spaces for permit required CSE;
• The number of Stand By Persons shall be determined at the time of risk assessing
the confined space and shall be recorded on the risk assessment.

11.01.3 Entrant

The entrant is responsible for the following:

• Using equipment properly;

• Understanding the potential hazards of the confined space and the signs, modes,
and consequences of exposure to those hazards;

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 • Maintaining communication with the attendant;
• Notifying the attendant when evacuation is necessary;
• Leaving the confined space when the attendant orders evacuation, when the
evacuation alarm sounds, or when a prohibited condition and/or danger is
observed;
• Signing the entry/exit log for permit-required confined spaces;
• Must be satisfied that they understand all of the requirements of the permit;
• Ensure they are competent to carry out the work required including the
requirement and use of any Personal Protective Equipment;
• Ensure they are aware of any hazards that exist in the work area and that the
necessary controls are in place.
• Ensure that any equipment used within the work area is of an approved type and
in a good state.
• Ensure that all warning signs, barriers and permit to enter the confined space are
prominently displayed;
• Ensure that all work is performed in the safest manner possible.

11.1.4 Atmospheric Tester

The person testing the atmosphere is responsible for ensuring that:

• The equipment they use is

1. Suitable for the atmosphere being tested;
2. Properly calibrated and maintained;

• They are sufficiently competent to interpret the results correctly;

• Results are recorded and provided to the persons involved in the confined space
entry.

12.0 Rescue Techniques

1. Non-entry – Rescue that is conducted without entry into the
confined space. This can be conducted by such means as a rope
or winch.
2. Entry by others – some companies do not have trained
personnel for emergency rescue. They depend on others to
conduct emergency rescues such as the Fire Department.
3. Entry by Trained employees from the company – Company
shall have trained personnel within the company to conduct
rescues. The team must have at least one member certified in
first aid & CPR.
All members of the team must be trained in the techniques and
equipment for specific confined spaces.

12.1 Rescue Equipment:

Retrieval equipment is required for all permit required vertical entries
greater than 5 ft. Retrieval equipment shall include (but not limited to) the
following:

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1. Rescue harness:

2. Rescue tripod:

3. Winches, Rope:

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12.2 Rescue Procedure:
1. Assess the situation: Before attempting any rescue, evaluate the
confined space, its hazards, and ensure proper safety measures are in
place.
2. Communicate: Establish clear communication with both the victim(s)
inside the confined space and the rescue team outside.
3. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE): Ensure all rescue
team members are wearing appropriate PPE to protect themselves
during the rescue operation.
4. Set up ventilation: If necessary, use ventilation equipment to improve
air quality and reduce the risk of hazardous gases in the confined space.
5. Lower a lifeline or tripod: Lower a lifeline or rescue tripod into the
confined space to provide a means of communication and a way to
access the victim.
6. Connect the victim to the retrieval line: Securely attach the victim to the
lifeline using a suitable harness or rescue device.
7. Perform the rescue: Carefully lift the victim out of the confined space
using the lifeline and a tripod & winch system.
8. Provide medical attention: Once the victim is out of the confined space,
assess their condition and provide appropriate medical attention as
needed.
9. Decontamination (if necessary): If hazardous substances were present
in the confined space, ensure proper decontamination procedures are
followed for the rescue team and equipment.
10.Post-rescue evaluation: Review the rescue operation, discuss any
lessons learned, and identify areas for improvement in future rescue
scenarios.

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