The permit passes, then the work changes the atmosphere
A space that tested clear before entry can become lethal once hot work, coating or cleaning starts. Continuous monitoring exists for exactly this.
Confined Space JSA (NZ)
The task analysis that sits alongside the entry permit — what the work itself introduces into the space, which is where the permit stops and the job starts.
⚖️Aligned to AS/NZS 2865
👷Reviewed by OH Professionals
✏️Editable .docx
NZD 99
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The entry permit controls the space — atmosphere, isolation, standby, rescue. It does not analyse the work being done inside it, and the work is frequently what makes the space dangerous. Welding consumes oxygen and generates fume. Solvent-based coatings produce flammable vapour in a volume with no ventilation. Grinding fills the space with dust. This JSA covers that second layer, and it is designed to be used with the permit rather than instead of it.
Equipment taken in creates new hazards
Petrol plant, LPG, extension leads and compressed gas all behave differently inside a confined volume. The template assesses what goes in, not just who.
Rescue planning stops at the permit
The permit names the retrieval method. The JSA has to confirm it still works with the equipment, hoses and lines the task actually requires in the space.
Who this is for
- Drainage, water and wastewater crews
- Work inside manholes, wet wells, chambers and pump stations.
- Tank and vessel maintenance
- Cleaning, inspection, coating and repair inside storage and process vessels.
- Welders and fabricators
- Hot work inside a confined volume, where the work itself alters the atmosphere.
- Plant and facilities maintenance
- Lift pits, ducts, plant rooms below grade and roof voids meeting the definition.
This is the task analysis. The entry permit is a separate document and both are needed — the permit controls the space, the JSA controls the work.
What's inside the template
Word — 14 pages (pre-populated JSA + equipment assessment + forms) · Formats: DOCX
- Section 1 — Task and spaceWork described, space reference, previous contents, dimensions, access points, and the permit number this JSA runs under.
- Section 2 — Can the work be done from outside?The elimination question — remote inspection, external cleaning, camera survey, or redesign.grwm 6
- Section 3 — Pre-populated step analysisPreparation, isolation, testing, ventilation, entry, the work, egress and reinstatement — each with hazards and controls drafted.grwm 5
- Section 4 — What the work introducesFume, vapour, dust, oxygen consumption, heat, noise and displacement — assessed per task type before entry.
- Section 5 — Equipment taken into the spaceEvery item assessed: combustion engines excluded, electrical supply and voltage, gas cylinders, hoses, and how each affects egress.
- Section 6 — Ventilation during workMethod, rate, positioning, and confirmation it continues for the duration rather than only before entry.
- Section 7 — Monitoring during workParameters monitored continuously given the specific work, with evacuation triggers stated.grwm 7
- Section 8 — Communication and standbyMethod that works with the PPE in use, and the standby person who does not enter.
- Section 9 — Rescue with equipment in placeConfirming the retrieval method still functions with the hoses, leads and equipment the task requires.
- Section 10 — Interfacing workAnyone working above, adjacent or on the same system.hswa 34
- Section 11 — Pre-start and crew sign-onRe-verification of atmosphere and isolation before each entry, not only the first.
- Appendix A — Equipment assessment sheetItem, hazard introduced, control, approved for entry yes or no.
- Appendix B — Task-type atmosphere guideWhat welding, coating, cleaning and grinding each do to a confined atmosphere.
Compliance checklist
HSWA 2015 ss.30, 34, 36 · GRWM Regulations 2016 regs 5–7
A Job Safety Analysis is not a named statutory document in New Zealand — unlike an Australian SWMS, no regulation requires one by that name. Its weight comes from the duties it discharges, and from the fact that main contractors and prequalification schemes treat it as the expected evidence that a high-risk task was thought through before it started.
- GRWM reg 5Identify hazards that could give rise to reasonably foreseeable risks to health and safety→ Step-by-step breakdown — hazards identified against each step rather than for the task as a whole
- GRWM reg 6Eliminate risks so far as is reasonably practicable; otherwise minimise by substitution, isolation, engineering, then administrative controls, then PPE→ Control column — every control declares its hierarchy level
- GRWM reg 7Ensure control measures are effective and maintained so they remain effective→ Verification and pre-start review sections
- HSWA s36Primary duty of care — ensure health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable→ Residual risk assessment and the sign-on record
- HSWA s34Consult, cooperate and coordinate with other PCBUs where duties overlap→ Interfacing trades section — who else is affected by this task and how it is coordinated
How this template compares
The most common alternative in New Zealand is an Australian SWMS with the branding changed. It is worth being precise about why that is a problem.
Reviewed by OH Professionals
Written and reviewed by the occupational health and safety team at OH Consultant. These are drafted as New Zealand Job Safety Analyses, not as Australian SWMS with the terminology swapped. That distinction is substantive: a SWMS is an instrument created by Australian WHS regulation for high-risk construction work, with prescribed content and a statutory trigger. New Zealand has no equivalent provision, so a document presented as a "NZ SWMS" is citing a requirement that does not exist here.
Legislation referenced
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 — Section 30 — Management of risks ↗
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 — Section 34 — Duty of PCBUs to consult, cooperate, and coordinate ↗
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 — Section 36 — Primary duty of care ↗
- Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016 — Regulation 5 — Duty to identify hazards ↗
- Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016 — Regulation 6 — Hierarchy of control measures ↗
- Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016 — Regulation 7 — Duty to maintain control measures ↗
- AS/NZS 2865 — Confined spaces ↗Referenced for confined space entry permit content and atmospheric testing.
- AS/NZS 1715 — Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment ↗
Frequently asked
Do I need this as well as the entry permit?+
Yes. They cover different things and neither is sufficient alone. The permit controls the space — atmosphere before entry, isolation, standby person, rescue arrangements. This JSA analyses the work being done inside it, which is frequently what makes a tested-clear space dangerous.
Why does the work itself matter so much?+
Because a confined space has no meaningful air exchange. Welding consumes oxygen and produces fume in a volume that cannot dilute it. Solvent coatings build flammable vapour. A petrol generator outside the space can still fill it with carbon monoxide through the opening. The space can be safe at entry and lethal an hour later.
Can I use a petrol generator or compressor near the space?+
Not without controlling exhaust routing, and the template treats combustion engines as excluded from the space entirely. Carbon monoxide from plant sited near an opening is a recurring cause of confined space poisoning, and it is not detectable by smell.
What if the work requires hot work in the space?+
You need this JSA, the confined space entry permit and the hot work permit. Hot work in a confined space is one of the highest-risk combinations in construction and maintenance — oxygen depletion or enrichment, flammable atmospheres and fume all compound.
Is a JSA the same as a SWMS?+
In substance they do the same job — break a task into steps and assign hazards and controls to each. In law they are not the same. A SWMS is an Australian instrument required by Australian WHS regulation for high-risk construction work, with prescribed content. New Zealand has no equivalent provision, which is why the NZ convention is Job Safety Analysis or Task Analysis. If a supplier is selling you a "New Zealand SWMS", they are selling you an Australian document.
Is a JSA legally required in New Zealand?+
Not by name. What is required is that you identify hazards under GRWM Regulation 5, apply controls in the hierarchy order under Regulation 6, and keep them effective under Regulation 7. A JSA is how those duties are discharged at task level, and main contractors and prequalification schemes ask for it as a matter of course.
How does this relate to my SSSP?+
The SSSP is the project-level plan covering how health and safety is managed across the whole site. Job Safety Analyses sit underneath it — one per higher-risk task. On a typical job you have one SSSP and several JSAs, and the SSSP indexes them.
Who should complete and sign it?+
Someone competent in the work, with the crew who will actually do the task involved in developing it rather than handed a finished document. The sign-on section records that involvement, which is the part that distinguishes a JSA that was used from one that was filed.
How often does it need reviewing?+
Before each use, at minimum as a pre-start check for anything that has changed — different site conditions, different plant, different crew, weather. The pre-start section exists for that. A full review is warranted after any incident involving the task, or when the method or equipment changes.
Can I edit it for my business?+
Yes — it ships as an editable .docx with a single-buyer licence covering use across your own business and its projects. It is a starting point that reflects standard practice for the task, not a substitute for assessing the specific job in front of you. It is not licensed for resale or redistribution as your own template product.