Subdiv 2Hazard identification and risk assessment

Subdivision 2—Hazard identification and risk assessment

7  Hazard identification

Offence—breach of duty—hazard identification

  Before any work is undertaken in a confined space the operator of a prescribed ship or prescribed unit must ensure that a competent person identifies hazards associated with entry to, exit from or work in the confined space.

8  Risk assessment

Offence—breach of duty—issuing a permit without completed risk assessment and report

 (1) The operator of a prescribed ship or prescribed unit must not issue a permit to work for work in a confined space until a competent person has:

 (a) undertaken a risk assessment for the work in the confined space; and

 (b) prepared a written report of the risk assessment including the matters mentioned in subclause (4).

Note: Clause 31 sets out the period for which the report of a risk assessment must be kept.

Use of single risk assessment for multiple confined spaces

 (3) A risk assessment undertaken in accordance with subclause (1) may cover work in more than one confined space only if:

 (a) all the confined spaces are similar; and

 (b) the risk factors for all the confined spaces are identical.

Matters to be included in a report of a risk assessment

 (4) A report of a risk assessment for work in one or more confined spaces must include the following matters:

 (a) the nature of each confined space;

 (b) the inherent hazards of each confined space;

 (c) work that is to be carried out in each confined space, including whether it is necessary to enter the confined space to carry out the work;

 (d) the methods by which the work can be carried out;

 (e) the estimated duration of the work;

 (f) hazards and associated risks of:

 (i) the method of work selected; and

 (ii) the equipment proposed to be used;

 (g) any potential hazard inside the confined space;

 (h) emergency response procedures;

 (i) the competency of persons needed to undertake the work.

9  When risk assessment ceases to be valid

 (1) If evidence is available to the operator of a prescribed ship or prescribed unit that the report of a risk assessment does not address, or no longer addresses, the risks posed by the work in a confined space covered by the risk assessment, the risk assessment ceases to be valid.

Note 1: The following are examples of evidence:

(a) the installation or modification of plant;