A major energy generation facility required specialist support during its annual planned outage, when maintenance and repair work brings large numbers of contractors onto site and significantly increases confined space activity. The client needed a solution that would maintain high safety standards while helping to manage costs and keep critical work on schedule.

Breathe Safety provides ongoing shutdown support through a fully integrated confined space safety package. During the outage period, between 50 and 100 contractors work on site around the clock, carrying out essential maintenance and repair activities. To support these operations, Breathe Safety implemented a digital entry monitoring system covering multiple confined space entries across the site.

Working closely with the client's team, the solution was designed to deliver effective safety oversight while remaining mindful of budget constraints. By analysing workload patterns and adapting resource levels accordingly, it was possible to reduce labour requirements during quieter periods without compromising safety standards.

Infrastructure installation was completed in advance of the outage, ensuring the system was fully operational from the first day of maintenance activities. This proactive approach reduced mobilisation challenges and helped maximise productive working time during the shutdown window.

The client quickly experienced operational benefits from the new approach. Improved permit management and entry control processes helped streamline site operations, allowing work activities to progress more efficiently. During one outage, the lead contractor completed its programme significantly ahead of schedule, attributing the time saving to the efficiency of the digital entry management system.

The project also demonstrated the value of continuous monitoring and vigilant oversight. On one occasion, rising gas levels were identified before they reached a dangerous threshold, allowing the site team to implement additional control measures and stabilise conditions. Early intervention helped avoid disruption to outage activities while maintaining the safety of personnel on site.

Following completion of the works, the cabling infrastructure was retained in place for future outages. This will reduce installation requirements, minimise future mobilisation costs and improve readiness for subsequent shutdown periods.

Outcomes

• Integrated confined space safety management delivered during a major planned outage.
• Digital monitoring implemented to support multiple confined space entries.
• Safety resources aligned to operational workload to improve cost efficiency.
• Infrastructure installed ahead of the outage, enabling immediate operational readiness.
• Faster permit and entry management processes that improved productivity.
• Early identification of changing site conditions through continuous monitoring.
• Potential disruption avoided through proactive intervention and communication.
• Permanent infrastructure retained to reduce future installation time and costs.

The Breathe Difference

Effective safety management should enhance operations, not slow them down.

For this project, Breathe Safety combined digital monitoring, proactive planning and flexible resourcing to help the client maintain high safety standards while improving efficiency and controlling costs. By identifying risks early, adapting support to changing site conditions and streamlining entry management, we helped create a solution that worked for both the workforce and the wider project.

The result was a safer, more efficient outage that delivered immediate operational benefits while creating lasting value for future shutdowns.