The Confined Space Regulations 1997 were created under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSW Act) and came into force in January 1998. The regulations apply to all premises and work situations that are subject to the HSW Act within the UK, and to some extent outside of the UK. Under the confined space regulations, entry into a confined space can only be made by a competent person who is trained.
Therefore, if you have a confined space with a specified risk, you must meet the requirements of the Confined Space Regulations 1997. If you can’t avoid entry, you need to ensure that safe systems are put in place that are suitable and sufficient prior to allowing work activities to commence in a confined space.
