Confined Spaces Entry Permits: What Business Need To Know
If your business has any tanks, pits, silos, pipes, tunnels, or similar enclosed structures on-site, there's a good chance confined space rules apply to you — and getting the entry permit process wrong is one of the most common (and costly) compliance failures WorkSafe WA sees. Here's what business owners and site managers actually need to know.
What counts as a "confined space"?
It's a common misconception that a confined space just means "somewhere small." Under WA's Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022, a confined space is defined by its hazards, not its size. Specifically, it's an enclosed or partially enclosed space that:
Is not designed or intended to be occupied by a person
Is intended to be at normal atmospheric pressure while anyone is inside
Carries a risk from an unsafe atmosphere (oxygen deficiency, toxic gas, flammable atmosphere), engulfment in free-flowing material (grain, sand, liquids), or other serious hazards
Common examples include vats, tanks, pits, pipes, ducts, flues, chimneys, silos, pressure vessels, sewers, wells, shafts, trenches, and tunnels — but the deciding factor is always whether the specific space and task meet the legal definition, not just that it looks tight or enclosed.
The core legal rule: no permit, no entry
This is the part every business needs to have locked down: a worker must not enter a confined space without a valid, written entry permit. It's not optional, and it's not something that can be skipped for a "quick job." Under WA's WHS Regulations, the PCBU (person conducting the business — essentially, the employer or site controller) must not direct or allow a worker to enter a confined space unless a permit has been properly issued.
What has to be on the permit
A valid confined space entry permit must be in writing, completed by a competent person, and needs to specify:
The specific confined space it applies to
The authorised entrants (named individuals, not just "the crew")
The defined work period — permits are valid only for that specific window, not indefinitely
The risk control measures in place (isolation of connected plant, ventilation, atmospheric monitoring, etc.)
Emergency and rescue procedures for that space
Permits must be signed off, and kept on file until the work is completed. If a notifiable incident occurs in connection with the work, the permit needs to be retained for at least two years afterward.
Before the permit: the risk assessment
You can't skip straight to writing a permit. WA law requires a documented risk assessment, conducted by a competent person, before entry is authorised. This needs to identify the specific hazards of that space (atmosphere, engulfment risk, etc.), the controls being used to manage them, and it needs to be reviewed and updated whenever conditions change — not just done once and filed away.
Other requirements businesses often miss
Signage must be posted at every entrance to the confined space, warning against unauthorised entry — and needs to stay up throughout preparation, the work itself, and pack-up, not just during entry.
Atmospheric testing is mandatory before entry and often needs to continue throughout the work, carried out by someone competent to operate gas detection equipment.
Standby person and rescue procedures must be established and actually practised — not just written down as a theoretical plan.
Isolation of connected plant and services (pipework, machinery, electrical systems) needs to be part of the control measures where relevant.
Why this matters beyond compliance on paper
Enforcement in this area is active, not theoretical. Australian confined space prosecutions have resulted in penalties exceeding $600,000, with the most common triggers being missing entry permits, no atmospheric testing, no standby person, or a business failing to identify a space as "confined" in the first place. WorkSafe WA can issue improvement notices, prohibition notices, and take further enforcement action where these gaps are found during an audit.
What training your team needs
The nationally recognised units that cover this are:
RIIWHS202E – Confined Spaces, which covers the core skills and knowledge to identify confined space hazards, follow entry procedures, and work safely within a permit system
MSMWHS217 – Gas Test Atmospheres, for anyone who needs to physically operate gas detection equipment and carry out pre-entry and ongoing atmospheric monitoring — not every entrant needs this specifically, but every confined space crew needs someone who holds it
Because these two often go hand-in-hand on real worksites, we offer them as a combined course package, which is usually the most practical (and cost-effective) way for a business to get a small team properly covered.
Getting your team compliant
Not sure exactly what your site or team needs? Get in touch — we're happy to talk through your specific setup and recommend the right course combination.
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