A confined space rescue plan sets out, before anyone enters, exactly how a worker who is injured, trapped or unconscious will be brought out: by whom, with what equipment and how fast. If you cannot answer those questions for a particular space, the entry should not go ahead. Improvised rescues are a leading cause of multiple deaths in confined space incidents.
Why rescue has to be planned in advance
In a hazardous atmosphere, the time between collapse and serious brain injury can be very short. An emergency call to a public service may not bring a team that is trained and equipped for that space quickly enough, and the first people on scene are often co-workers with no breathing apparatus. Planning ahead means the right people and equipment are already at the space when the entry starts, and the attendant knows exactly who to call and what to do while waiting.
Provincial rules across Canada require employers to have rescue arrangements in place for confined space entry, with details that vary by province. CSA Z1006 also addresses rescue as part of managing confined space work. Check the current edition and your province's legislation.
The order of rescue methods
Choose the method that exposes the fewest people to the hazard:
Self-rescue
The entrant recognizes a problem, often from a detector alarm or the attendant's warning, and gets out under their own power. Programs should make self-rescue easy by keeping exits clear, limiting how far entrants go from the opening and making the evacuation signal clear.
Non-entry rescue
The attendant or rescue team retrieves the worker from outside using a full-body harness, a retrieval line and a mechanical device such as a winch on a tripod or davit. This is the preferred approach wherever the configuration of the space allows a straight, unobstructed pull. It does not work well where the entrant must travel around corners or internal structures, since the line can snag or cause injury.
Entry rescue
Trained rescuers enter the space with suitable respiratory protection and equipment to reach, package and remove the worker. This is the most dangerous option and is only for a team that is trained, equipped and practised for that type of space.
The attendant does not go in. Whatever happens, the attendant stays outside, calls for rescue, starts non-entry retrieval if it is part of the plan, and keeps others from entering. An attendant who enters becomes another casualty.
What the rescue plan should cover
- The space or group of spaces the plan applies to
- The rescue method for each space and why it was chosen
- Who makes up the rescue team, their training and where they will be during the entry
- How the attendant raises the alarm and how long the team will take to respond
- Rescue equipment: tripods, davits, winches, harnesses, retrieval lines, breathing apparatus, stretchers suited to the opening, lighting and communication
- Atmospheric monitoring during the rescue
- First aid and how the casualty will be handed over to emergency medical services
- Site access for ambulances and the meeting point for responders
- How and how often the plan is practised
Rescue team and access
Choosing who performs the rescue
There are three common arrangements, and many employers use a mix depending on the space:
| Arrangement | Strengths | Things to check |
|---|---|---|
| In-house rescue team | Knows the site and spaces, can be stationed at the entry | Training, practice, equipment upkeep and availability on every shift |
| Contracted standby rescue | Dedicated, equipped team present during the entry | Team's familiarity with your spaces, qualifications and written agreement |
| Public emergency service | Professional responders | Whether they agree in advance, can reach you in time and have the specialized equipment |
If you plan to rely on an outside service, confirm in writing that it can respond to your specific spaces within the time your plan requires, and verify that it has visited or reviewed them. Do not assume.
Sizing up the space for rescue
During the hazard assessment, look at each space from a rescuer's point of view. Measure the openings and check whether a stretcher, a rescuer wearing breathing apparatus, or both, can pass through. Look for anchor points above vertical entries, internal obstructions, the height of any drop inside, and how a casualty could be kept upright or packaged in a tight area. Where rescue looks impractical, consider whether the work can be done without entry or whether the access can be changed.
Practice and review
A plan that has never been practised is untested. Run drills in the actual space or a representative one, with the real equipment and the people who will be on duty. Time the response from the alarm to the casualty being outside. Review each drill and update the plan, equipment list or team training based on what you learn. Repeat drills at the frequency your program sets, and after any change to the space, the team or the equipment.
Rescue planning ties closely to the roles described in Confined space roles: entrant, attendant, supervisor and to your site's wider emergency response plans.
How ehZee can help
We assess each space for rescue, help you choose a rescue approach and write the rescue plan into your confined space program. We can also help set up and review drills. See our confined space programs service.
Common questions
Is calling 911 a rescue plan?
Only if you have confirmed in advance that the responding service can reach you in time with the training and equipment for your space. For many spaces, that cannot be confirmed, and a standby team is needed.
Does every entrant need a retrieval line?
Where non-entry rescue is part of the plan and the line will not create a greater hazard, yes. Where the configuration makes a line impractical, the plan must say how rescue will be done instead.