Fitness to work in a confined space, confirmed by an occupational health advisor
Tank, silo, sewer and duct entry, water and wastewater work, cable chambers and rescue teams all involve working where escape is restricted and breathing apparatus may be worn. The confined space medical confirms each person is fit for that work, and gives you a certificate for your permit-to-work file.
It is the most comprehensive of our fitness-for-work medicals. Fourteen checks are carried out in one appointment, including the three that confined space work requires.
Spirometry
A lung function test, for breathing in a restricted atmosphere and for wearing breathing apparatus.
Confined-space assessment
A claustrophobia screen, fitness to wear breathing apparatus, and mobility for entry and rescue.
Grip strength
Measured for climbing, hauling and self-rescue.
Confined space and safety-critical medicals
One price for each medical. The standard medical is for roles without confined space entry.
Confined space medical
- Fourteen checks in one appointment
- At our clinic or on site for a team
Standard safety-critical medical
- Core checks, colour vision, audiometry and mental health screening
- For construction, plant, working at height and lone working
In your appointment
Every check below is carried out in the one appointment.
The fourteen checks
- Health questionnaire and medication review
- Height, weight and BMI
- Blood pressure
- Vision – distance and near
- Colour vision
- Urinalysis
- Audiometry (hearing)
- Spirometry (lung function)
- Fitness to wear breathing apparatus
- Claustrophobia screen
- Mental health screening
- Musculoskeletal and mobility assessment
- Grip strength
- Mobility for entry and rescue through a restricted opening
What to bring
- Photo ID
- Glasses or contact lenses, if worn
- A list of any medication taken
- Your site's medical form, if it has one
Added to any medical
Where your role or site requires them.
For one person, or a whole team
Booking for yourself
Choose a time from the live diary and pay by card. Your certificate follows within 24 hours of clinical review.
Book onlineBooking for a team
On-site medicals across Surrey, Sussex, Kent and London, and nationwide by arrangement, or a block of appointments at our clinic. Invoiced to your organisation, with one point of contact.
Send an enquiry →At our Dorking clinic, or on site with you
Individual bookings at the Medwyn Centre; team days at your site.
Your medical at the Medwyn Centre
Our clinic in Dorking
Individual bookings are seen at the Medwyn Centre, with paid parking behind it and Dorking station a ten-minute walk.
Occupational health advisors
Each medical is carried out by an occupational health advisor, with oversight from an occupational health physician.
Time for your questions
The appointment leaves time to ask everything that you need to know.
SEQOHS accredited
An independently accredited occupational health service.
What HSE's guidance asks of you
The Regulations
The Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 require employers to avoid entry where they can, and otherwise to work to a safe system of work with arrangements for emergency rescue in place.
The suitability of the person
HSE's Approved Code of Practice, L101, says the risk assessment must consider whether each person is suitable for the work, including claustrophobia and fitness to wear breathing apparatus.
The certificate
The confined space medical gives you that medical advice, with a certificate for the permit-to-work file and a review date. Each medical is assessed to your site's own risk assessment.
Confined space medical questions
Any enclosed space where there is a risk of death or serious injury from hazardous substances or dangerous conditions – storage tanks, silos, vessels, enclosed drains and sewers, open-topped chambers, ductwork and poorly ventilated rooms, in HSE's examples. A space can become a confined space while work is carried out in it.
The Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 do not name a medical. HSE's guidance says the risk assessment must consider whether each person is suitable for the work, and that medical advice may be needed. Most sites and contractors ask for a certificate on that basis.
Yes, they are separate. Training covers the safe system of work; the medical confirms you are fit to do it. Training providers and sites usually ask for both.
Annually, unless your employer or site sets a different interval. The review date is noted on the certificate.
Our occupational health advisors, with oversight from an occupational health physician. Allow 45 minutes.
Yes. For a team we run the medicals on site across Surrey, Sussex, Kent and London, and nationwide by arrangement. Individual bookings are seen at our clinic in Dorking.
Please bring photo ID, your glasses or contact lenses if you wear them, and a list of any medication you take. Your certificate is issued within 24 hours of clinical review.
Ask us first
Tell us what you need
Tell us the roles, how many people need a medical and any standard your site works to. We'll come back to you with the medical that fits and the earliest appointments we can offer. Prefer to talk? Call 01306 873936.
Book your confined space medical
Book online for yourself, or send an enquiry for your team and we'll arrange the appointments.