Gasunie is one of the biggest gas infrastructure companies in

Europe. Within the company, we give safety the highest

priority; it forms the basis of our license to operate. We
abide by the strictest safety, health and environmental
standards, both for our own employees, external contractors
and the surroundings. Gasunie’s safety policy is thus
characterised by a proactive approach which is designed to
prevent accidents, incidents and hazardous situations.
General rules
Work can only begin following permission from Gasunie. Some
activities will require Gasunie to secure the installation or the
section before work can begin. You must always familiarise
yourself with the situation at the location where you will be
working as soon as possible; who/what is where? Is the
installation in operation? Read your work permit carefully and
make sure the control measures described are in place. If
anything is unclear, ask the issuer of the work permit. Then put in
place the precautionary measures that are appropriate to the work
you are about to carry out.

Remain alert at all times when you are working. If in any

doubt, always ask or suspend activities where necessary.
Hazards of working in confined spaces

What makes working in confined spaces so risky?

• Confined spaces often contain liquid, gas or vapour residues which, either alone or in combination, are
toxic, flammable or explosive
• There is often not enough oxygen in confined spaces
• Confined spaces are often difficult to get into (usually only through a small aperture such as a manhole
or a crawl space). If an accident occurs, this will lead to major problems and rescuing people will be very
difficult
• Confined spaces are often difficult to ventilate
• Confined spaces often contain obstacles such as pipelines and/or supporting beams
Examples of confined spaces include:
• Crawl spaces under buildings
• Manure cellars and liquid manure tanks on agricultural premises
• Sewage systems
• Trenches containing pipelines
• Work trenches
• Reaction boilers and storage tanks, e.g. in the (petro)chemicals industry
• Tankers for transporting liquids, solids and gases
• Double walled and other storage areas on ships, e.g. bulkhead spaces or ballast tanks
• Gas freight containers

Not all work trenches and pipeline gullies need to be designated as confined spaces.
As well as their dimensions, the possible presence of the aforementioned risks is also an
important factor. Clear communication about this between those involved is necessary.
Possible risks/consequences
Confined spaces may contain hazardous atmospheres (or else such atmospheres can be generated
through work activities), causing a potentially life-threatening situation or serious risk to health either in
these spaces or near the openings to them. These risks are as follows:
• asphyxiation
• intoxication or poisoning
• fire or explosion
• gas or dust explosions

There are also one or two dangers relating to the nature and shape of the space/room or the character of
the work to be carried out. These dangers are as follows:
• moving parts
• electrical current (risk of electrocution)
• falling, slipping and falling objects
• tripping over obstacles
When working in confined spaces, several of the aforementioned hazards can usually occur
simultaneously.
Rules governing safety
Under normal conditions, confined spaces are sealed off from the outside but are regularly entered
for the purposes of making inspections and repairs and for cleaning and maintenance.

Before a confined space can be entered, it must first be investigated to establish a possible risk of
poisoning, asphyxiation, intoxication, fire or explosion. The investigation must look at the risks
relating to all the hazards that could occur in this particular space. Appropriate measures must then
be taken to control the associated risks based on this survey. The working area must also be as free
as possible of obstacles.

Due to the increased risks of working in confined spaces, it is necessary to make a proper
assessment of the activities involved. The TRA (task risk analysis) is highly suitable for the purpose.
It divides the work into a number of logical process stages, identifies the risks at each stage and
formulates appropriate measures.
There are three types of measures we can take:
• measures to control the atmosphere in a confined space (‘to measure is to know’)
• control measures to mitigate the risk of moving parts, electrocution, falling, slipping
and falling objects
• organisational measures such as designating a work foreman, instructing staff who are
entering the confined space, appointing a manhole supervisor and fixing warning labels
to the entrances of the space concerned
Approval
Gasunie’s Operations department has a list of the confined spaces at each location. If work has to
be carried out in a confined space, the TRA that has been drawn up for the work concerned must
be linked to the work permit. The TRA will be discussed and approved prior to the issuing of the work
permit.

If the work in confined spaces relates to new construction work, the TRA will be discussed with,
and submitted to, the main supervisor for his approval.

Own responsibility
Before entering a confined space, you must always satisfy yourself that all measures have been
taken to carry out the work safely. Here again, the motto ‘think before you act’ applies in particular!

If you have any doubts or are unclear about anything, ask! Contact the issuer of the work permit or
the work supervisor.