Safety Systems of Work

When the entry into a confined space is unavoidable, employers under common law are to provide a safe system of work, this is also a fundamental requirement of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974; 2 General duties of employers to their employees.

(1) It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of an employer’s duty under the preceding subsection, the matters to which that duty extends include in particular— .

• A. The provision and maintenance of plant and systems of work that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health;
• B. Arrangements for ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances;
• C. The provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of his employees;
• D. So far as is reasonably practicable as regards any place of work under the employer’s control, the maintenance of it in a condition that is safe and without risks to health and the provision and maintenance of means of access to and egress from it that are safe and without such risks;
• E. The provision and maintenance of a working environment for his employees that is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe, without risks to health, and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare at work.

It may be sufficient to communicate the system verbally for a low risk activity; however a more formal system must be used for higher risk activities. A written system should include areas concerning;

• Correct use of plant, equipment and tools.
• The ability to maintain a working environment, i.e. ventilation, lighting etc.
• Rules and regulations for site.
• Formal issue, maintenance and correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Information on hazards, chemicals used, any product safety information.
• Correct and safe working procedures.

In addition to the above, entry into a confined space must be supported with a permit to work. The permit is simply an extension of the above. The permit to work procedure is a specialized type of safe system of work, under which certain categories of high risk potential work may only be done with the specific permission of an authorized manager. Permission will only be given if the laid down precautions are in force and have been checked. A typical permit specifies;

• What work is to be done.
• Plant/equipment to be used.
• Who is authorised to do the work.
• What steps are in place to make plant safe.
• Potential hazards that remain or may be created by the process.
• Precautions undertaken to reduce hazard.
• Length of permit validity.
• Equipment is released to employees who require it.

The person accepting the permit, he/she are to ensure whatever precautions are highlighted on the permit are undertaken. There are also additional spaces for:

• Signature certifying work is complete.
• Signature confirming reacceptance of plant/equipment.

Continuing on the theme of a safe system of work, points that need to be addressed prior to entry include;