Industry | Cross sector

Confined Spaces

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About the Scheme

The Confined Spaces scheme provides industry and individual employers with assurance of the level of technical competence achieved by individuals who enter, supervise, or manage work in low, medium, or high risk confined spaces.

A confined space is any space of an enclosed nature which can be dangerous because of the associated hazards and risks from noxious fumes, reduced oxygen levels, flooding, or a risk of fire.

Anyone working in confined spaces requires specialist knowledge and skills to be able to work competently and safely.

A range of regulated vocational qualifications are available through awarding organisations and training providers which have been developed using the national occupational standards, are supported by the Health & Safety Executive and are based on the appropriate roles and/or risk levels. These qualifications may reference the Water UK Occasional Guidance Note (OGN) and also align to the National Classifications (NC) of confined spaces for the water industry.

National Classifications

Classification	Definition
NC1	Low risk, shallow entry with adequate natural or mechanical ventilation, where access is simple and unobstructed and there is no likely risk of flooding, e.g. meter pits, valve chambers, booster-pumping stations, PRV chambers etc.
NC2	Vertical, direct, unobstructed access with continuous attachment to a man riding hoist or similar mechanical rescue device.
NC3	When it is not possible to have persons permanently attached to a safety line.? Usually it will be a team entry which moves away from the entry point e.g. man entry sewers, utility service subway tunnels, aqueducts and complex wet wells.? Working without an attached rescue line includes working away from the point of entry.
NC4	Non-standard entries involving complex organisations which introduce additional risks and require specific controls and rescue arrangements e.g. mechanical hazards, physical complexity of system introduced hazards, enhanced specific intrinsic hazards.

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Registration Categories

There are 9 registration categories under the scheme. See the below list of qualifications offered by Awarding Organisations and the relevant scheme categories.

Delivery

Confined Spaces qualifications are undertaken through Awarding Organisation approved centres, also referred to as training providers.

Individuals are registered with the Awarding Organisation for the relevant Confined Spaces qualification(s) applicable to their job role.

The training provider then delivers the knowledge and skills required to individuals.

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Assessment

Assessment of a confined spaces qualification is set by the Awarding Organisation and delivered by the approved training provider. This will include an assessment of both the knowledge and skills required and may be in the form of a multiple choice question test and a practical demonstration of entering, working in, managing or supervising work in a confined space.

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Registration

Registration on EUSR for the Confined Spaces scheme is based upon the completion of an appropriate regulated vocational qualification. The EUSR registration will reflect the appropriate category gained.
A copy of the original certificate is required for registration.
Registration is valid for three years.

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Renewal

Individuals are required to update and refresh their knowledge and skills of confined spaces every 3 years through the completion of the qualification.

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Find a Provider

You can find a provider of Confined Spaces qualifications using the following links:

City & Guilds

Cabwi

NOCN

SQA

If you have any queries relating to EUSR or the evidence requirements for any of our schemes or programmes, please contact the EUSR Support team. We are available Monday – Friday, 8.00am – 5.00pm via email eusr@euskills.co.uk or tel: 0121 745 1310.