Victorian Consolidated Regulations

8 Reg. 9.2.1: S.R. No. 127/2000 as amended by S.R. No. 96/2005. - SECT 3.4.11.

Flammable gases or vapours

3.4.11. Flammable gases or vapours



(1) An employer must ensure during work in a confined space that-

   (a)  so far as is reasonably practicable, the concentration of any
        flammable gas or vapour in the atmosphere of the space is below 5% of
        its LEL; or

   (b)  if it is not reasonably practicable to comply with paragraph (a) and
        the concentration of any flammable gas or vapour in the atmosphere of
        the space-

   (i)  is equal to or greater than 5% but less than 10% of its LEL, any
        employee is removed immediately from the space unless a
        suitably-calibrated, continuous-monitoring, flammable gas detector is
        used in the space while the employee is in the space; or

   (ii) is equal to or greater than 10% of its LEL, any employee is removed
        immediately from the space. Note Act compliance-sections 21 and 23
        (see regulation 1.1.7).

(2) In this regulation LEL (lower explosive limit) of a flammable gas or
vapour means the concentration of that gas or vapour in air below which the
propagation of a flame does not occur on contact with an ignition source.