Confined Space Rescue

Most confined space fatalities are poorly trained rescuers…

OSHA’s 3 levels of protection for confined space entrants: 1) Permitting procedure identifies hazards 1) Permitting procedure identifies hazards

and addresses protective measuresand addresses protective measures

2) Retrieval equipment for external rescue2) Retrieval equipment for external rescue

3) Rescue services required for internal 3) Rescue services required for internal

rescuerescue

Permit Required Confined Space

1) 1) Hazardous AtmosphereHazardous Atmosphere

-Exists or has the potential to exist-Exists or has the potential to exist 2) 2) Engulfment HazardEngulfment Hazard

-Water, sludge, grain, etc....… -Water, sludge, grain, etc....… (3) (3) Entrapment HazardEntrapment Hazard

-Hoppers, converging pipe, etc.......-Hoppers, converging pipe, etc....... 4) 4) Any other Health or Safety HazardAny other Health or Safety Hazard

-Fall, heat, trip, varmints, etc........-Fall, heat, trip, varmints, etc........

What emergency rescue options What emergency rescue options does the site have?does the site have?

1. Employers have three options under 29CFR 1910.146(k):

a. Utilize their own employees to enter confined spaces to perform

rescue

b. Arrange to have an outside service perform confined space rescues

c. Combination response

Emergency response options Because there is a need for quick response, Because there is a need for quick response,

on-site rescue teams are usually preferred.on-site rescue teams are usually preferred.

Evaluation & Verification...

Employers must Employers must evaluateevaluate and and verifyverify that the that the

rescue service’s needed capabilities are rescue service’s needed capabilities are

present.present. Documented average response timesDocumented average response times Training recordsTraining records Graded performance evaluationsGraded performance evaluations

What is timely response?

“…“…permit space hazards vary in their permit space hazards vary in their capacity to kill or permanently injure capacity to kill or permanently injure employees and that what constitutes employees and that what constitutes ‘timely’ will vary accordingly.”‘timely’ will vary accordingly.”

Response Vs Rescue Time...

(1) React Time(1) React Time: :

Attendant recognizes that the Entrant has a Attendant recognizes that the Entrant has a problem.problem.

(2) Contact Time(2) Contact Time: :

Attendant contacts the Rescue Service.Attendant contacts the Rescue Service. (3) Response Time(3) Response Time::

Rescue Service arrives at the scene.Rescue Service arrives at the scene.

Rescue Vs Response Time...

(4) Assessment Time(4) Assessment Time::

Size-up and strategy determination.Size-up and strategy determination. (5) Preparation Time(5) Preparation Time::

Rescue equipment set-up.Rescue equipment set-up. (6) Rescue Time(6) Rescue Time::

Reaching, treating, packaging, and Reaching, treating, packaging, and evacuation of the victim.evacuation of the victim.

Rescue Stand-by

Goal: Goal: 4-Minute Rescue Response4-Minute Rescue Response

Possible only if rescuers are rigged and Possible only if rescuers are rigged and ready while the entry is taking place. This ready while the entry is taking place. This is defined asis defined as Rescue Stand-by Rescue Stand-by. .

Rescue Available

Appropriate (and Appropriate (and ApproximateApproximate!) Goals:!) Goals: Respond To Confined Space Scene / 10 Respond To Confined Space Scene / 10 MinutesMinutes

Reach The Victim(s) / 5-10 Minutes LaterReach The Victim(s) / 5-10 Minutes Later

Case law update….10 minute response held to Case law update….10 minute response held to be be notnot timely in a Nov. 1997 case! timely in a Nov. 1997 case!

Rescue Available - Supervisor’s Role

Verifies the rescue service is available and Verifies the rescue service is available and the means to summon them is operable….the means to summon them is operable….

Administrative RulingAdministrative Ruling::

Regardless of whether the employer thinks Regardless of whether the employer thinks it is unreasonable to call the service for it is unreasonable to call the service for every entry - the employer must comply!every entry - the employer must comply!

Evaluation Milestones

Rescue Stand-by establishes a Rescue Stand-by establishes a GOALGOAL of of reaching the victim in 2-4 minutes.reaching the victim in 2-4 minutes.

Rescue Available establishes a Rescue Available establishes a GOALGOAL of of responding to the scene within 10 minutes responding to the scene within 10 minutes and reaching the victim within 15 minutes.and reaching the victim within 15 minutes.

Goals are to be strived for - not required…. Goals are to be strived for - not required…. they should serve as comparative milestones they should serve as comparative milestones for judging team competency.for judging team competency.

Choosing the Appropriate Response

Decision: Decision: Stand-byStand-by Vs. Vs. AvailableAvailable Each Each entryentry must be evaluated to determine must be evaluated to determine

the appropriate response mode.the appropriate response mode. The evaluation must be done by a qualified The evaluation must be done by a qualified

person (rescuer and/or entry supervisor).person (rescuer and/or entry supervisor). Factors to be considered include the severity Factors to be considered include the severity

of the hazard, required PPE, and the ability of the hazard, required PPE, and the ability of the entrant to self-rescue.of the entrant to self-rescue.

Categorizing PRCS

Cat I - AvailableCat I - Available

-Hazard (Potential) is not -Hazard (Potential) is not IDLHIDLH

-Supplied breathing air is -Supplied breathing air is not requirednot required

-No anticipated difficulty -No anticipated difficulty for entrant to self-for entrant to self-rescuerescue

Cat II – Stand-byCat II – Stand-by

-Hazard (Potential) is -Hazard (Potential) is IDLHIDLH

--Supplied breathing air is Supplied breathing air is requiredrequired

-Anticipated difficulty for -Anticipated difficulty for entrant to self-rescueentrant to self-rescue

Categorizing Spaces Category must be determined prior to entryCategory must be determined prior to entry Entrant Supervisor must have authority to Entrant Supervisor must have authority to

make the call….make the call…. Common sense approach to compliance:Common sense approach to compliance:

- Document intent to make a “timely rescue”- Document intent to make a “timely rescue”

- Establishes training goal & evaluation - Establishes training goal & evaluation criteriacriteria

Timely Response, Training, and

Equipment Rescue Rescue Retrieval Retrieval Ventilation & Atmospheric Monitoring Ventilation & Atmospheric Monitoring BarriersBarriers Access/Egress (ladders, etc...)Access/Egress (ladders, etc...) LightingLighting CommunicationCommunication

Timely Response, Training, and Equipment

Documented training by each team member Documented training by each team member via simulated rescues in every type of via simulated rescues in every type of confined space (Rescue training)confined space (Rescue training)

Authorized Entrant/Attendant Authorized Entrant/Attendant First Aid & CPR (Blood-borne pathogens)First Aid & CPR (Blood-borne pathogens) Haz Com, PPE, Respiratory, Lockout, PSMHaz Com, PPE, Respiratory, Lockout, PSM Equipment training (Fall Protection)Equipment training (Fall Protection)

Rescue Training:

Each rescue team member must be trained Each rescue team member must be trained to safely perform all assigned rescue duties.to safely perform all assigned rescue duties.

- Rigging - Rigging

- Entry - Entry

- PPE utilized outside the space- PPE utilized outside the space

- Equipment maintenance- Equipment maintenance

- Individual skills - Individual skills

Hands-on Rescue Training:

EachEach member must practice member must practice simulated simulated rescue operationsrescue operations at least once every 12 at least once every 12 months in the actual PRCS or representative months in the actual PRCS or representative spaces that simulate the spaces that simulate the typestypes of spaces of spaces based on based on opening size, configuration, and opening size, configuration, and accessibility….accessibility….

What are the requirements for What are the requirements for practice rescue exercises?practice rescue exercises?

1. Practice exercise must involve the actual removal of dummies or persons from the actual permit spaces or from representative spaces.

2. Representative spaces need to simulate the types of permit spaces from which rescues may be performed with respect to:

· Opening size

· Configuration

· Accessibility

Hands-on Rescue Training:

EachEach member must practice member must practice simulated simulated rescue operationsrescue operations at least once every 12 at least once every 12 months in the actual PRCS or representative months in the actual PRCS or representative spaces that simulate the spaces that simulate the typestypes of spaces…. of spaces….

- Identify the number of types- Identify the number of types

- Design a training matrix for the year- Design a training matrix for the year

- Practice worst case scenarios- Practice worst case scenarios