When working in confined spaces, an important question for safety professionals to consider is what to do if someone becomes injured, incapacitated or trapped in a space and has to be rescued.
The steps below will help guide you through preparing for and executing a confined space rescue in a timely manner.
STEP 1
Rescue drills provide personnel the experience of working through different scenarios in order to familiarize themselves with situations they could encounter in confined spaces. Conducting rescue drills helps prepare teams for working in confined spaces, and when necessary, rescuing coworkers.
STEP 2
Understand That Rescues Fall Into Two Categories
There are time-sensitive and non-time-sensitive rescues. Time-sensitive or “emergency” rescues typically involve oxygen-deficient atmospheres where there is a small window of time, typically six minutes, to get someone out.
An example of a non-time-sensitive rescue would be a situation in which someone falls and breaks an ankle going into a confined space. In these types of circumstances there are sufficient O2 levels and, therefore, the rescue is not as time-sensitive and can be conducted without the use of supplemental oxygen.
Understanding both types of rescues helps safety professionals develop strategies for implementing and executing an appropriate response.
