A confined space kills quickly and quietly. An unsafe atmosphere gives no warning, and rescue is the moment most likely to add a second casualty. That is why entry runs on a permit and a gas-test log, not on judgement alone. When something goes wrong, or when an inspector asks, the record has to show that the atmosphere was tested, entry was authorised, and rescue was arranged before anyone went in. So the real question about a confined space entry log app is not which one has the most features. It is which tool gets the permit and every reading recorded as it happens, not backfilled afterwards.
Guide · Confined space
Confined space entry log app for the UK.
A practical guide to recording confined space entry permits and gas-test logs under the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997, from paper permit books to a WhatsApp workflow your entry teams already know, so the safe system of work is evidenced as it happens.
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The point
Software does not make entry safe.
The safe system of work and the competent people carrying it out do, under the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997. Software makes the permit and the gas-test log easier to complete before entry, harder to skip a reading, and faster to hand back. A good tool means nobody reconstructs an atmosphere test from memory after the crew is already inside.
Where it fits the job
The record an entry team builds.
Permit to work
Authorisation before entry
The entry permit, the named authorised person, the isolation and the emergency arrangements, recorded and signed before anyone goes in.
Atmosphere testingGas-test readings logged
Oxygen, flammable and toxic gas readings from the calibrated meter, logged with the time taken and re-tested to a schedule.
EmergencyRescue and standby
The rescue plan, the standby person, and the means of raising the alarm confirmed and evidenced as part of the entry record.
The friction
The permit book fails the audit.
A paper permit that lives in a folder in the van is hard to check in real time and easy to backfill. When an inspector or an insurer asks who authorised entry and what the atmosphere read at the time, a smudged carbon copy is a weak answer. Logging the permit and every gas reading at the point of entry, timestamped, is what makes the record defensible.
Run entry permits on WhatsApp
No app install. No training.
Entry teams use the phone they already have. Text, voice note or photo of the meter display. The permit and log assemble themselves. Setup to first live workflow usually takes under a week.
The short version
- The Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 require a safe system of work and, where reasonably practicable, avoiding entry altogether.
- Entry is controlled by a permit to work, atmosphere testing with a calibrated meter, and emergency arrangements before anyone enters.
- The safe system of work and the competent people carry the safety, not the software.
- A paper permit book is hard to audit in real time and easy to backfill; a timestamped digital log is not.
- Per-report pricing beats per-seat for firms with a mix of entry crews and office staff, because adding people is free.
- The software captures and timestamps the evidence. The competent entry team and the safe system of work carry the validity.
The point
What a confined space entry log app is actually for
The Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 apply where work happens in a space that is substantially enclosed and where there is a foreseeable risk of a specified danger, such as loss of consciousness from gas, fume or lack of oxygen. The first duty is to avoid entry where reasonably practicable. Where entry cannot be avoided, a safe system of work is required, and adequate emergency arrangements must be in place before entry begins.
Software does not make any entry safe. The safe system of work, and the competent people carrying it out, do. What software does is make the permit and the gas-test log easier to complete correctly before entry, harder to skip a reading, and faster to hand back to the office. A good tool means the atmosphere test is logged at the point of testing, not reconstructed from memory once the crew is already inside.
The permit
Authorisation before anyone enters
An entry permit records the specific task, the location, the named authorised person, the isolation of energy and inflow, the atmosphere test results, the emergency and rescue arrangements, and the sign-off that entry may proceed. It is a control, not a formality: no permit, no entry.
Quickler prompts through each element of the permit before entry, capturing the authorised person, the isolations confirmed and the rescue plan agreed. The office sees the entry status on a dashboard without chasing. It does not authorise entry itself or replace the competent person's decision; that judgement stays with the entry team, which is exactly where it must be.
Atmosphere testing
Gas readings logged as they are taken
Atmosphere testing usually covers oxygen level, flammable gas, and toxic gases such as hydrogen sulphide or carbon monoxide, using a calibrated multi-gas meter, often before entry and then continuously or at intervals during the work. The reading only means anything if it is tied to a time.
Quickler logs each set of readings with the time taken and can prompt for a re-test to a schedule, with a photo of the meter display as evidence. It records what the competent person reads off a calibrated instrument; it is not itself a gas detector and does not replace the meter or the person operating it. Treat every reading as the instrument's and every decision as the competent person's, and follow current HSE guidance and your own confined space procedures.
Pricing
Per report, not per seat
Most permit and audit tools charge per seat. For a firm running confined space work that is the wrong shape. The safety manager who reviews permits pays the same as the crew filing several entries a day, and every subcontract entry team you add costs more.
Quickler charges per report, with unlimited users on every bundle. Bundles run from Quickler 50 at 50 pounds a month for 50 reports, up to Quickler 500 at 500 pounds a month for 500 reports. Add as many entry teams, supervisors and admins as you like; you pay for the permits and logs you file, not the people who could file them. Pricing is approximate and shifts, so check the current pricing page before you commit.
Questions, answered
What is a confined space entry log app?
It is a tool that helps an entry team record the permit to work and the gas-test log for confined space entry on site: authorisation, isolation, atmosphere readings and emergency arrangements. The options range from paper permit books, to general permit apps, to conversation-based tools like Quickler that run the permit and log over WhatsApp so there is no app to install.
Does the app make confined space entry compliant on its own?
No. The Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 require a safe system of work carried out by competent people, with emergency arrangements in place before entry. Quickler captures, structures and timestamps the permit and the gas-test evidence; it does not authorise entry, assess the risk, or replace the competent person. The safe system of work and the entry team carry the validity.
Can I record entry permits and gas tests over WhatsApp?
Yes. Quickler's workflow runs over the WhatsApp Business API. The entry team receives each permit and test prompt in their existing WhatsApp chat, replies with text, a voice note or a photo of the meter display, and the permit and log assemble themselves with a timestamp on every reading. No separate app or login is required, and Quickler manages the WhatsApp Business API account on the firm's behalf.
Does the software test the atmosphere?
No. Quickler records the readings the competent person takes from a calibrated multi-gas meter, and stores them with a time and a photo of the display. It is not a gas detector and does not replace the meter or the person operating it. The calibrated instrument and the competent person carry the measurement. Follow current HSE guidance and your own confined space procedures.