CONFINED SPACE RESCUE

-KNOWING YOU'RE READY

Michael Roop, CSP

MRoop8806@Comcast.net

1
 CONFINED SPACES

•  Injuries/deaths occur annually as a result of improperly

entering/working in a confined space
 Permit
Rescue is
Required
required
CSE

Rescue Team: Rescue:

In-House Stand-by
Contracted or
Combination Response

Determining
Rescuer
Capability 3
 PERMITS
Entry  permit  specifies  hazards  &  controls  are  in  place  
such  that  safe  entry  condi7ons  exist  prior  to  entry.  

•  Permits  are  not  required  for  a  rescue  entry,  but…  

•  Rescuers  should  examine  an  entry  team’s  permit  
before  a  rescue  is  aAempted.  
•  It’s  a  good  idea  for  rescuers  to  prac7ce/train  by  
comple7ng  a  permit  –  required  for  actual  CS.  
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 5

A CS within a CS…
 HIERARCHY OF RESCUE:

Unacceptable condition occurs or is suspected

during an entry….
1) Entrants are to escape unaided - “self-rescue”
2) Trained attendant initiate retrieval - “non-entry
rescue”
3) Rescue - “entry rescue” by a trained, qualified
team
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RESCUE AVAILABLE (RESPONSE)

Most  rou7ne  entries  simply  require  

"rescue  available"  status,  in  which  
rescue  services  are  on  call  to  
respond  to  an  entry  emergency.    
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 RESCUE STAND-BY

•  Entries  in  which  rescue  personnel  and  equipment  

are  standing  by  throughout  the  entry.      
 
Example:    1910.134  requires  a  stand-­‐by  team  during  
entries  in  which  the  atmosphere  is  immediately  
dangerous  to  life  or  health  (IDLH).      

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 RESCUE STAND-BY

• In  other  cases,  an  organiza7on  may  simply  

decide  that  the  unusual  nature  of  a  space,  
its  processes,  or  contents  jus7fies  this  
heightened  level  of  protec7on.      

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 OSHA CLARIFICATION…

“What are the needs of the employer with regard to

response time (time for the rescue service to
receive notification, arrive at the scene, and set up and
be ready for entry)?”

“10-15 Min. MAY be appropriate.…”

- in a non-IDLH entry!
 RESPONSE VS RESCUE TIME...

(1) React Time:

Attendant recognizes that the Entrant has a problem.
- Employers say: Anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes (1)
(2) Contact Time:
Attendant contacts the Rescue Service.
- Employers say: Two to ten minutes (4)
(3) Travel Time:
Rescue Service to the scene.
- Rescue Responders say: 10-20 minutes (15)
 RESCUE TIME VS RESPONSE
TIME...
(4) Assessment Time:
Size-up and strategy determination.
- Rescue Responders say: 3 to 10 minutes (5)
(5) Preparation Time:
Rescue equipment set-up.
- Rescue Responders say: 5 to 10 minutes (7)
(6) Rescue Time:
Reaching, treating, packaging, and evacuation of the victim.
- Rescue Responders say: 10 to 20 minutes (15)
 Any situation or occurrence
inside or outside the space that
could jeopardize the safety of
the CSE team
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Insufficient Planning:
Failure to identify equipment needs or practice
skills prior to emergencies...

Result:
Wasted time & increased likelihood of injury or
death to personnel inside and outside the space
during a rescue attempt!

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 PLANNING THE APPROPRIATE
RESCUE RESPONSE

NON-ENTRY RETRIEVAL
IS REQUIRED IN CCS STANDARD

•  Incapacitated entrants are not able to self-

rescue…..
•  Attendants must be trained to use lifelines and
retrieval systems
•  Rescuers do not enter the confined space
•  A more timely response of personnel extraction
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Waste-water Plant
Entry into a clean,
open-air tank:

Supervisor/Attendant
using an external
retrieval system w/
5:1 block and tackle
MA rope and
pulley…

5:1 block attached 16

to a 1:1 – 5 X 1 = 5
NOTE:
Because  of  their  other  
responsibili7es,  aAendants  are  
NOT  considered  rescue  
personnel…...    
 
This  is  true  even  though  they  
may  perform  a  non-­‐entry  rescue.      
 
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 PLANNING FOR ENTRY RESCUE

Rescuers (rescue team) enters the space…

- May be required due to patient packaging requirements
or lifeline entanglement
- Least desirable rescue level because of the risks and of
the time delay
- But the rescue service must be trained to efficiently
respond….
- Reach, treat, package, and evacuate a trapped
or injured entrant
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 RESCUE  PROCEDURES  
FOR  CONFINED  SPACES  
•  Designated  rescue  team/service  selec7on  (Internal  
team,  External  team,  Both)  
•  Prior  no7fica7on  of  entry  to  rescue  service    
•  Rescue  team  contact  mode  (radio,  phone,  etc.)  
•  Preliminary  steps  before  entry  to  assist  rescue:  
•  Entrant  FB  harnesses  
•  Retrieval  lines  in  place  
•  Retrieval  equipment  in  place   19
 CONTRACTED RESCUE
•  For permit space entry, tell the contractor:
-  What is known about the space and its hazards
-  About any special procedures or precautions
-  About rescue procedures

•  Make it clear they are responsible for doing

the job safely and in compliance with the law

•  Hold debriefing at end of operations

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 DECISION: IN-HOUSE (ON-SITE)
VS OUTSIDE RESCUE

•  Occasional  use  of  contracted  “rescue  stand-­‐by”  

services  
•  Major  issue  is  7me—  arrive,  set-­‐up,  and  retrieve  the  
entrant(s)  
-­‐  A  simple  fracture  requiring  rescue  entry…                                
 -­‐  15  minutes  may  be  acceptable  
-­‐  IDLH  condi7ons  -­‐  any  delay  in  rescue  is  life-­‐
threatening   21
 -Employers relying on local emergency
services for rescue must arrange for
RESCUE responders to give the employer notice
REQUIREMENTS if the service will be unable to
respond for a period of time (because
they are responding to another
emergency, attending training, etc.).
 DECISION: IN-HOUSE (ON-SITE)
VS OUTSIDE RESCUE
•  The  size  of  a  facility  and  the  number  of  entries  taking  
place  
•  Personnel  working  in  remote  confined  spaces  
•  Specialty  entries  requiring  in7mate  knowledge  of  site  
opera7ons  to  effect  a  rescue  
•  The  availability  of  adequately  trained  outside  rescue  
services  
•  Facility  distance  from  rescue  service  providers  
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 RESCUE SERVICE BOTTOM
LINE...
•  An employer can choose to use an in-house
rescue team, an outside rescue team, or even
a combination of the two.
•  The chosen team must be adequately
trained, properly equipped, and capable of a
timely response.
•  The rescue must be accomplished safely and
efficiently...
And in compliance with regulations and standards!
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 OUTSIDE RESCUE AGREEMENT

•  Agreement  should  be  in  wri7ng  so  that  the  employer  

and  rescue  service  personnel  can  beAer  understand  
what  is  expected  of  the  other.      
•  The  rescue  service  may  be  a  private  company  or  a  fire  
department.      
•  If  the  laAer,  be  aware  that  OSHA  has  indicated  that  
simply  lis7ng  the  inten7on  to  telephone  "911"  as  a  
rescue  plan  is  not  in  sufficient    
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 DEVELOPING RESCUE PLANS

• Plan  rescue  procedures  in  advance    

• Include  the  plans  as  an  element  in  the  
wriAen  confined  space  entry  program  
• Plans  should  be  space-­‐specific.....Relevant  
factors:      
-­‐  Design  
-­‐  Hazards  (including  poten7al  hazards)  
-­‐  Any  other  poten7ally  significant  circumstances  that  may  
occur  during  an  entry    
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 DEVELOPING RESCUE PLANS

•  Review  space  types  to  determine  the  procedures  

and  equipment  necessary  to  extract  personnel.      
•  Consider  the  size  and  configura7on  of  spaces  and  
their  entry  portals.      
-­‐  Portal  access  (elevated  or  ground  level)    
Ver7cal  or  horizontal  rescue?  
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 DEVELOPING RESCUE PLANS

• Iden7fy  likely  rescue  (or  retrieval)  

equipment  rigging  and  anchorage  
   
Entanglement  hazards  or  other  physical  
constraints?    
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 EVALUATING RESCUE PLAN
EFFECTIVENESS

• Prac7ce  simulated  emergency  rescue  

opera7ons  from  a  representa7ve  space  
• Achieving  rescue  team  proficiency    
-­‐  Requires  mul7ple  prac7ce  sessions  in  each  type  
•  Conduct  emergency  response  drills  to  evaluate  
7mely-­‐response  capabili7es  
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 ISSUES TO CONSIDER WHEN
DEVELOPING A RESCUE PLAN
•  Hazard assessment

- Review the known and potential

hazards of the space to be entered
- Consider impact of the season of the
year

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 ISSUES TO CONSIDER WHEN
DEVELOPING A RESCUE PLAN

In-house personnel:
- Minimum number of personnel required
- Contact method
- Response time
- Person(s) in charge
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IN-HOUSE TEAM?
 IN-HOUSE PERSONNEL

•  First  Aid/CPR  training  status    

•  Rescue  equipment  training  status  
•  Rescue  procedure  training  status  
•  Authorized  level  of  involvement  (limi7ng  factors)  
•  Condi7ons  triggering  call  for  outside  assistance  
•  Need  for  hands-­‐on  simulated  rescue  prac7ce  for  all  
permit  space  types    

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 OUTSIDE RESCUE SERVICE

Fire/police/EMS  department,  private  service,  etc.  

•  Evaluate  and  verify  the  service  is  properly  trained,  
equipped,  and  capable  of  providing  assistance  in  a  
7mely  manner  
•  Determine  commitment  to  respond  and  who  will  
be  in  charge  

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 OUTSIDE RESCUE SERVICE

•  Arrange  for  the  method  of  reques7ng  emergency  

assistance  
•  Inform  the  rescue  service  of  the  specific  hazards  they  
may  confront  during  a  rescue  
•  Provide  access  to  the  confined  spaces    
1)  develop  appropriate  rescue  plans      
2)  prac7ce  rescue  opera7ons  at  least  annually.   35
 TRAINING

•  All  members  of  the  rescue  team  must  be  fully  trained  
in  assigned  du7es  
•  Each  member  must,  at  least  once  a  year,  conduct  a  
mock  rescue  from  each  type  of  representa7ve  permit  
space  that  could  be  entered  
NOTE:  A  representa7ve  space  is  determined  by  its  
accessibility,  the  size  of  its  opening(s),  and  its  
configura7on.  (Also  eleva7on  and  obstruc7ons)  
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 TRAINING

• The  basic  training  required  for  authorized  

entrants  as  well  as  aAendant  (retrieval)    
• Addi7onal  training  in  assigned  emergency  
response  du7es,  including  rescue  rigging,  
pa7ent  packaging,  and  ver7cal/horizontal  
pa7ent  movement  
• Training  in  the  use  of  any  specialized  rescue/
retrieval  equipment  
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 TRAINING

•  Basic  first  aid  

•  Cardiopulmonary  resuscita7on  (CPR)  
•  Bloodborne  pathogens  
-­‐  Severe  injuries  may  require  advanced  knowledge  of  
stabiliza7on  and  packaging  
-­‐  Emergency  medical  technician  skills  may  be  necessary  
in  some  situa7ons  
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 RESCUER REQUIREMENTS

•  OSHA - rescuers to be evaluated to determine

rescue capabilities

•  ANSI - training shall be verified and documented

- requires rescuers be trained to First Responder
Level
- suggests training to NFPA 1006
- develop rescue plan & procedures for each type of
CS
 CS STANDARD - INITIAL EVALUATION

8. If the space has a vertical

entry over 5 feet in depth, can
the prospective rescue
service properly perform
entry rescues?

Does the service have the

technical knowledge and
equipment to perform rope
work or elevated rescue, if
needed?
 EMPLOYER’S RESPONSIBILITY
- TWO TYPES OF SELECTION EVALUATIONS

•  Determine a service’s qualifications (timely

response, training, and equipment)
•  Can the service “talk the talk”?

•  Determines the service’s actual performance

capabilities
•  Can the service “walk the walk”?
 BOTTOM LINE:
FIND A PRO
Can we all agree that whatever the job….it takes one to know one?

Evaluating members of a rescue team as well as the team’s operational

capabilities requires an experienced, knowledgeable professional.

There is ONLY ONE WAY to determine if a team can function – it must

be live tested in different scenarios to see if they can “walk the walk’.

And, the test will meet OSHA’s requirement that the team must practice
annually! 42
REMEMBER....
NEVER ATTEMPT A
CONFINED SPACE RESCUE ...

Unless you are

RESCUE trained and
equipped!
CONFINED SPACE RESCUE

-KNOWING YOU'RE READY

Michael Roop, CSP

MRoop8806@Comcast.net

44