Rescue Techniques in Confined Space

Two-thirds of all confined space fatalities occur among would be rescuers. A well planned confined space rescue can end up as a body retrieval.

Confined space rescues can be performed by any employee or a professional rescuer so long as he has been fully trained and qualified to act as a rescuer.

Qualifications include knowledge and experience of working with all hazards associated with rescue and confined space entry operations.

Confined Space Rescue Plan

Rescue plan is required for all confined space works to cater any emergency that will occur during confined space operations.

A confined rescue plan should include the following elements:

A barricade area for crowd control
Additional ventilation options
Control of other hazards
Protective clothing and equipment
Appropriate lighting equipment
Methods of communication
A standby rescue team
Victim removal procedures and devices
Available emergency vehicles
Medically trained personnel

Confined Space Rescue Techniques

There are 3 types of rescue techniques in confined space:

Self rescue
Non-entry rescue
Entry rescue

Confined Space Rescue Techniques (Self Rescue)

When the emergency is minor, self rescue is often the best approach.

The self rescue plan provides entrants with the best chance of escaping a permit space when hazards are present.

Whenever authorized entrants recognize their own symptoms of exposure to a dangerous atmosphere, or when a prohibited condition is detected, entrants are still able to escape from the space unaided and as quickly as possible.

Self rescue is vitally important because the entrant is:

Conscious and alert.
Able to recognize his own signs and symptoms.
Still physically able to evacuate the space more rapidly than waiting for someone to rescue him.
Able to alert fellow workers of impending danger.
Not endangering anyone else.
2. Confined Space Rescue Techniques (Non-entry)

Rescue that is conducted without entry into the confined space. When self-rescue is not possible, non-entry rescue can be started right away and prevents additional personnel from being exposed to unidentified and uncontrolled confined space hazards.

Usually, equipment and other rescue aids are employed to assist in removing endangered entrants.

3. Confined Space Rescue Techniques (By Entry)

Entry rescue involves rescuers entering the space to retrieve the entrant and provide the victim with emergency assistance. An entry rescue plan needs to be developed ahead of time in the event of an emergency.

Rescue by entry can be classified into:

On-site rescue
Off-site rescue

Rescue by Entry (On-site Rescue) – Because most rescue service providers are unable to rescue within the four minute time limit, most employers develop their own rescue teams.

All the rescue team members should be trained to properly use and maintain PPE and rescue equipment, acts as a rescuer in annual simulated emergencies and assume individual roles and take on any emergency.

Rescue by Entry (Off-site Rescue) – If the company do not have trained personnel for emergency rescue, then they must hire a third party rescue service to conduct emergency rescues. The window of opportunity for a rescue is very brief (only four minutes), the response time for an off-site rescue team may be considerably longer.

To make sure the confined rescue plan is effective, organise local rescue/fire departments prior to the job and provide access to the space so that they can familiarize themselves with the site, develop a rescue plan in advance, and practice rescue operations.

Re-evaluating Confined Space Rescue plan

The confined space rescue plan should be re-evaluated whenever: