Understanding Confined Spaces

Confined spaces, as defined by the UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997, are areas not designed for continuous human occupancy with restricted entry or exit points. These spaces pose significant risks, such as hazardous atmospheres, engulfment, oxygen deficiency, or restricted movement. Examples include storage tanks, silos, vats, sewers, pipelines, and underground chambers. In industries like construction, manufacturing, maritime, and utilities, confined spaces require strict adherence to UK safety regulations to protect workers.

At Apex, we combine our expertise in commercial diving with confined space operations to deliver safe, compliant, and efficient solutions, particularly in challenging aquatic or submerged environments. Our operations fully align with the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997, HSE guidance (e.g., L101), and other relevant UK standards, ensuring safety and legal compliance.

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Our Confined Space Services

We provide a comprehensive suite of confined space services, integrating our commercial diving capabilities with rigorous safety protocols to meet UK regulatory requirements. Our team of certified divers and confined space specialists is trained to handle high-risk & rescue environments, ensuring compliance with the HSE’s Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) for confined spaces.

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• Confined Space Entry and Inspection
  Our competent personnel, trained to City & Guilds or equivalent standards, conduct detailed inspections using advanced tools like remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and underwater cameras. We assess structural integrity, corrosion, blockages, or other hazards in confined spaces, including those partially or fully submerged, while adhering to HSE risk assessment protocols.

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• Maintenance and Repair Tasks
  We perform cleaning, welding, cutting, and repair tasks in confined spaces, including underwater environments. Services include sediment removal, valve maintenance, and pipeline repairs, all executed with safe systems of work (SSOW) and permits to work as required by UK regulations. Our equipment and methods comply with PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998).

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• Rescue and Emergency Services
  Our rapid-response teams are certified in confined space rescue, including high-risk environments involving water. We follow HSE guidelines for emergency arrangements, employing atmospheric monitoring, ventilation systems, and safe extraction techniques. Our divers are trained to handle aquatic confined space rescues, ensuring preparedness for complex scenarios.

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Dry Diving

​At Apex, we specialize in innovative solutions for challenging environments. although we undertake all aspects of Confined Space & Rescue work, one of our specialist industry techniques is "dry diving", a method where commercial divers use underwater breathing equipment, compliant with inshore Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs), to safely work in confined spaces (with or without entering water).

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Explore how dry diving mitigates the risks associated with hazardous gases and contaminants in confined spaces, ensuring safer and more efficient operations.

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The Challenge: Confined Spaces and Hazardous Gases

Confined spaces, such as tunnels, tanks, or underground chambers, present significant risks for workers. These environments often contain:

• Toxic gases (e.g., hydrogen sulphide, carbon monoxide) that can cause illness or death.

• Oxygen-deficient atmospheres that make breathing dangerous or impossible.

• Contaminants like chemical residues or biological hazards that pose health risks.

• Restricted access, complicating emergency response and evacuation.

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Traditional confined space entry methods rely on air monitoring, ventilation, and personal protective equipment (PPE). However, these measures can fall short when gas levels fluctuate unpredictably or ventilation is inadequate, putting workers at risk.

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The Solution: Dry Diving

Dry diving adapts the expertise and equipment of commercial diving to tackle these challenges. Instead of submerging in water, our divers wear their full underwater breathing apparatus—such as surface-supplied diving systems or self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)—to access dry confined spaces like tunnels or industrial vessels. This approach, compliant with inshore ACOPs, provides several key benefits:

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1. Reliable Breathing Supply

Dry diving ensures workers have a continuous, clean air supply through their diving equipment, eliminating the risk of inhaling toxic gases or contaminants. The surface-supplied systems deliver air from a controlled source outside the confined space, through an umbilical maintaining a safe breathing environment regardless of atmospheric conditions.

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2. Enhanced Protection Against Contaminants

The sealed suits and helmets used in dry diving protect workers from skin contact with hazardous substances, such as chemical residues or biological agents, which are common in confined spaces like sewage tunnels or industrial tanks.

 

3. Compliance with HSE Inshore ACOPs

Our dry diving operations adhere to the strict safety standards outlined in the HSE inshore Approved Codes of Practice. This includes rigorous training, equipment checks, and emergency protocols, ensuring that operations are conducted with the highest level of safety and professionalism.

 

4. Improved Live Video and Communication

Divers are equipped with live video & communication systems integrated into their helmets, allowing real-time coordination with surface teams. This enhances situational awareness and enables rapid response to any issues, a critical factor in confined spaces with limited access.