Skip to content
Legislation Monitor
Log in Create free account
Under Confined spaces · made under Work Health and Safety Act 2012

Safe oxygen levels, purging and air testing in confined spaces

Code legislation date 23 Apr 2025 From Confined spaces, no changes tracked yet
Medium severity
TAS Confined spaces > Atmosphere
The obligation
PCBUs must keep a safe oxygen level in a confined space. Where that is not reasonably practicable and oxygen is below 19.5 per cent by volume, workers must get air supplied respiratory equipment.
If a risk assessment finds the space may hold an unacceptable level of contaminants, the space must be purged so far as is reasonably practicable. No one should rely on their senses to judge whether the air is safe. Initial testing should be done from outside the space, covering every part from side to side and top to bottom. If someone must enter to test remote areas, they should wear air-supplied respiratory equipment and enter under a confined space entry permit. …
What
PCBUs must keep a safe oxygen level in a confined space. Where that is not reasonably practicable and oxygen is below 19.5 per cent by volume, workers must get air supplied respiratory equipment.
Source
worksafe.tas.gov.au

Full analysis

Free account

What this means for you

Free account

Read the full analysis, tailored to your industry

  • Impact summary tailored to your industry
  • Full plain-English analysis of what changed
  • Email alerts & digests when this law changes
  • Compliance self-assessment tools
Create free account Log in
Official sources
Frequently asked questions

Which WHS law does this come from?

Safe oxygen levels, purging and air testing in confined spaces is a WHS requirement set out in Confined spaces (TAS). It is made under Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (TAS). The relevant provision is Confined spaces > Atmosphere.

What does this WHS obligation require?

Safe oxygen levels, purging and air testing in confined spaces is a WHS obligation under Confined spaces (TAS). In short, PCBUs must keep a safe oxygen level in a confined space. Where that is not reasonably practicable and oxygen is below 19.5 per cent by volume, workers must get air supplied respiratory equipment.

What changed recently?

Safe oxygen levels, purging and air testing in confined spaces was last updated on 17 October 2026.

Where this sits

Confined spaces Work Health and Safety Act 2012 Tasmania Australia

About this Topic

Updates trackedMonitoring
Monitoring detail
First seenOct 2026