Five of our Operations Team in the South-East undertook City & Guilds Medium Risk Confined Space training last week – Ross Cottrell, Gordon Bignell, Robert Zsigo, Scott Beadle and Kevin Dodsworth.

The course entailed the safe identification and entry of confined spaces; the use of access equipment including harnesses, tripods and winches; in addition to gas monitors and emergency escape breathing devices to perform a self-rescue. From the outset the group were vocal and engaged, using the opportunity to discuss real work scenarios and also use the course as an opportunity to gain different opinions and solutions to problems from different sites. After a morning of theory on day one, the group got thoroughly involved in the practical elements of the course and undertook several confined space entries and a self-rescue (see picture). By day two the group had a firm understanding of the dangers of confined spaces and the control measures to help make entries as safe as possible. The group were assessed by an external assessor, where they demonstrated their competency in a written and later practical assessment and all passed the course convincingly.