Health, Safety and Environment

Major Change to BT Process for Working in Manholes

From Monday, 4 April, 2005, no BT person is allowed to enter a manhole unless they are fully trained in the new de-classification of manhole processes and are using a blower and the new Mk 2, four head Gas Detection Unit. This change has been agreed with the HSE to ensure BT fully complies with the requirements of the Confined Space Regulations.

Within Field Services, this major change to the working practice means most Field Services people will no longer be allowed to work in ANY manhole. A small team of fully trained and equipped Field Services people will operate in each Customer Service Team and will undertake ALL manhole base work from 4th April onwards. A national briefing has been released outlining the processes Field Services engineers must follow for ALL Provision and Repair tasks, that prove into a manhole from this date.

Work in footway boxes is not affected if you can arrange the joint and cable position so you can work with your head above ground level or just below it and "step" out of the structure without assistance.

Ask your Local Customer Manager or Coach for assistance if this is not the case or you are unclear about the requirements in deeper footway boxes. Local Customer Managers should refer to the now updated Confined Spaces section in the Health and Safety Handbook (SFY/HSH/D049).

New Computer Based Training (CBT) will be available via Academy Learning Sysyem (ALS) shortly. All Local Customer Managers need to complete the new 30 minute Confined Spaces Explained awareness package, Code: BTCSP001, as soon as possible to ensure they can correctly advise their people. Alternatively, Local Customer Managers should contact a member of the Field Services Health and Safety Team for advice after reference to the Health and Safety Handbook.

The 2005/6 Field Services Training and Development Plan will ensure all Field Services people are allocated time to complete the new Confined Spaces Explained awareness CBT, Code BTCSP001 on ALS. This includes all control and support base functions. The CBT covers all the spaces Field engineers might visit that could be considered as confined as required by the Confined Space Regulations, e.g. cable chambers & trenches, cellars, tunnels, excavations and of course footway boxes. In most cases, these spaces will not be considered confined, but again if you are not familiar with the access requirements into such structures, contact your Local Customer Manager or Coach. BT will always adopt the highest access standards in customers' premises, be they BT's or the customers' own requirements.