Posted By STEVE HI EVERYBODY NEED SOME INFO 1= IVE BEEN TOLD THAT A CONFINED SPACE THAT HAS HAD A GAS TEST AND IS SHOWING NO SIGNS OF DANGER AND IS ISOLATED FROM ALL SOURCES,IS VALID FOR UP TO 24HRS. I CAN SEE ON THE PERMIT TO WORK THAT WHERE THE GAS TEST READINGS ARE WROTE THAT INDEED THERE IS A BOX WITH A 24HR SPACE PROVIDED. 2= IF A C/SPACE NEEDS A GAS TEST CAN THERE REALLY BE A C/SPACE WHICH WOULD ONLY NEED THE 1 GAS TEST PER 24HR PERIOD. 3= IVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS COMMENT IS ACTUALLY WRITTEN DOWN SOMEWHERE. 4= SURELY ANY C/SPACE COULD NOT HAVE THIS PROCEDURE,YET THERE IS A 24HR BOX AS WELL AS A2,4,6,8 HR BOX 5= IT WORRIES ME THAT THE GAS TESTER BELIEVES THAT A C/SPACE CAN HAVE THIS TIME FACTOR,COULD THIS LEAD TO IT WAS OK WHEN I TESTED IT AND EVERY SOURCE IS ISOLATED,THERE IS NOTHING IN THE TANK,THE ATMOSPHERE WAS OK AT THE TIME SO I WILL DO ANOTHER GAS TEST WHEN THIS ONE HAS RUN OUT. 6= I CAN ONLY BELIEVE THAT WHEN HE WAS TAUGHT ON HOW TO USE A GAS TESTER THAT THIS COMMENT WAS MENTIONED. SURELY IT WOULD BE A LOT SAFER TO HAVE KEPT THIS COMMENT TO THEMSELVES RATHER THAN PUT THIS IDEA IN ONES HEAD. 7= MAYBE THIS COMMENT IS TRUE,BUT I FEEL MYSELF THAT THIS IS A PIECE OF INFORMATION IS ONE THAT I WOULD RATHER NOT KNOW ABOUT. SEEMS A BIT SCARY TO ME ANY INFO MOST WELCOME STEVE

Posted By Robert Woods What you need to ask yourself is would you enter the confined space in question 23 hours after you carried out the atmosphere test? I have extensive experience of working in confined spaces and I wouldn’t enter any confined space that was not being monitored whilst I was in there. How many people die in silos, tanks, sewers and other confined spaces each year? One is too many. If you have the testing equipment what is the problem in monitoring the atmosphere whilst the work is carried out. If it’s cost then tell me how much is a life worth. Bob woods.

Posted By Stuart Nagle Steve. Confined spaces cannot in the most part be turned off !! There are some that potentially could be, for example a tank, that had been completely islolated, cleaned completely,ventilated and the atmosphere made completely safe and it is known that nothing in the tank, work processes in the tank to be carried out or anything adjacent to the tank can affect it's condition. HOWEVER.... This is a very rare thing, and of course how sure is anyone that leaks at isolations will not occur etc, thus endangering the entrants in the tank. Confined spaces should be monitored prior to entry, and monitored continuously throughout entry ON ALL OCCASSIONS. Even when entrants leave a confined space, to take a break, change overalls, a smoke or whatever, the pre-entry procedures and gas testing should be repeated to ensure the space is still safe and continuously monitored again while occupied. Anyone who tells you different knows little, if anything, about confined spaces. Finally, I refer you to ACoP Note 41 of the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997. I suggest the person who monitors the atmosphere for you reads it !! Stuart Nagle

I was thinking same - a few threads now that look as if they are being targeted by AI - and i use I in the very lose seance!