City & Guilds, 6150-04 Training Courses in Northern Ireland
National Occupational Standards
Unit 6160-04 Description
Overseeing Work in Confined Spaces
Area of competence
This unit is about the duties of a safety attendant (top-man/woman) which does not require entries into confined spaces. It is about controlling the pre-entry procedures and entry into and out of the confined space, maintaining communications, and initiating and controlling emergency procedures.
Skills and competencies which demonstrate effective performance
- Prepare to work safely in all levels of confined spaces under emergency conditions
- Enter and exit confined spaces safely
- Prepare and use self-contained compressed air breathing apparatus (open circuit) in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications
- Use rescue equipment and tools safely and in accordance with manufacturers’ specifications
- Follow procedures and work safely
- Deal with emergencies
- Interpret the work plan and arrange for the necessary equipment to be available
- Arrange for all equipment required to be available prior to entering the site
- Determine work team activities
- Put together a competent work team
- Allocate activities to each team role
- Confirm all team members know and understand their roles
- Brief the work team on the nature of the specific confined space
- Carry out real-time risk assessment before starting work
- Organise and maintain a safety zone around the work site
- Confirm communications systems are set up, tested, and are working before team move away from the entry point
- Check atmospheric conditions are safe before the work team enters the confined space
- Oversee and check the work team enter and exit in line with procedures
- Make sure procedures regarding carrying and the use of breathing apparatus are followed
- Remedy any incorrect activities with a team member
- Oversee recovery of equipment and tools from site when work is finished
- Control access of people and vehicles around the entry point
- Resolve any problems connected to the work or team members with designated personnel
- Act immediately to remedy any unsafe activity, equipment, or environmental conditions
- Monitor continuously the work team and ensure compliance with procedures
- Monitor environmental readings regularly and respond to information from monitoring equipment
- Communicate regularly with the work team at all stages of the work
- Initiate site hygiene procedures
- Close down and make the work area safe when the work is finished
- Make reports and complete all documentation and deposit them with the designated personnel
- Confirm the emergency arrangements, procedures and communications systems are in place and working properly
- Make the emergency arrangements known to all the work team. Support personnel and off-site staff
- Get all rescue equipment on site as specified in the emergency procedures
- Set up exclusion zones to prevent unauthorised people following emergency situations
- Arrange for rescue equipment to be in place before allowing entry into the confined space
- Start emergency procedures immediately a dangerous situation arises
- Supervise exit procedures
- Maintain control over work team members during an emergency
- Supervise the use of emergency equipment
- Follow and maintain emergency procedures throughout the incident
- Record and report the emergency incident and its circumstances
- Arrange for basic first aid to be available to the recovered surface casualties
- Maintain emergency communications
- Hand-over to emergency services
- Secure and maintain the site for post-rescue investigations
You work in a manner which:
Is vigilant to possible risks and hazards
Knowledge and understanding
You must know and understand the following:
GENERAL
- An appreciation of the main principles of health and safety and environmental legislation and regulations
- Industrial standards
- Working knowledge of approved codes of practice and guidance for working safely in confined spaces
- Definition of confined spaces and their nature and characteristics
- Definitions of hazardous situations and different types and categories of hazards
- Awareness of how emergency situations can arise in confined spaces
- Manufacturer’s instructions relating to use of equipment
- Manufacturer’s instructions relating to the use of CABA
- Manufacturer’s instructions relating to the use of PPE
- Legislation and approved codes of practice and guidelines for the safe use of breathing apparatus
- Limitations of using rescue equipment
- Working as a member of a team
- Roles and responsibilities
- Injuries to personnel and the general public
- Dealing with irregularities and abnormal situations
- Types and categories of emergency situations
- Implications of drink and drugs policies
CONFINED SPACES HIGH RISK WORKING ENVIRONMENT
- Classification schemes and how to identify the confined space classification
- Hazards, substances, and situations associated with medium risk confined spaces
- Entry procedures for different types and risk levels of confined space environments
- Carry out real-time assessment of risks and hazards
- Using work authorisation and permits
- Procedures and methods of working suitable to the confined space classification and local conditions
- Minimising the risks and hazards for the work to be carried out
- Using ventilation systems
- Reducing the risk to an acceptable level for the work to be carried out
- Understanding and using local site procedures
- Monitoring of conditions and work activity
- Decontamination procedures
- Communication methods which are suitable for use in medium risk confined spaces
- Resolving problems speedily and with the designated personnel where other people or organisations are involved
- Preparing and checking equipment and tools
- Following manufacturer’s instructions for using equipment and tools
- Ensuring equipment and tools are fit-for-purpose and how to use them safely
- Methods and techniques for using and wearing PPE
- Preparing and using escape breathing apparatus
- Preparing and using CABA
- Reporting systems for routine and non-routine work activities and resolving problems
- Responsibilities of managing work teams
- Reporting systems for routine work activities and resolving problems
- Procedures for dealing with emergencies
- Rescue and recovery procedures
- Communications and reporting systems for emergency situations