Every confined space entry depends on a few clearly defined roles: the entrant who goes in, the attendant who stays outside and watches over them, the entry supervisor who authorizes and controls the entry, and the rescue team ready to respond. Each role carries specific duties, needs specific training, and must be filled by a named person for the whole time the space is occupied.
Why roles matter
Confined space incidents often trace back to confusion over who was responsible for something: who tested the air, who locked out the agitator, who was supposed to stay at the hatch. Defining roles in the program and naming people on the permit removes that confusion. Terminology varies across Canada. Some provinces and companies say attendant, others standby person or safety watch, and the supervisor may be called the entry supervisor or the permit issuer. The duties are what matter. Check the terms and requirements in your province's legislation and in CSA Z1006.
The core roles
The entrant
The entrant is the worker who enters the space to do the job. Entrants should:
- Know the hazards of the space, how they could show up and the signs and symptoms of exposure
- Review the permit and confirm that controls are in place before entering
- Use the required personal protective equipment, respiratory protection and retrieval equipment correctly
- Wear or carry a gas detector where the program requires it and respond to its alarms
- Keep in contact with the attendant using the agreed method
- Leave the space immediately when told to, when an alarm sounds, when they notice warning signs or when they feel unwell
- Report anything unexpected they find inside
Entrants have the right to refuse unsafe work, and they should never be pressured to stay in a space they believe is dangerous. See Worker rights under OHS law.
The attendant
The attendant stays outside the space, at or near the entry point, for the entire time anyone is inside. This is a full-time job during the entry. The attendant should:
- Keep an accurate count of who is in the space
- Maintain continuous or regular communication with each entrant
- Monitor conditions inside and outside the space, including gas readings and nearby activity
- Order everyone out if conditions change, an alarm sounds or an entrant shows signs of exposure
- Summon the rescue team immediately when needed
- Carry out non-entry rescue if that is part of the plan and they are trained to do it
- Keep unauthorized people from entering
- Stay at the entry point until relieved by another qualified attendant
The attendant never enters to rescue. An attendant who enters a space to help a collapsed worker leaves nobody outside to call for help or keep others out, and is likely to be overcome by the same hazard. The attendant raises the alarm and follows the rescue plan.
Attendants should not be given other tasks that take their attention away from the entrants. Whether one attendant can watch more than one space depends on your province's rules and the hazard assessment, and is only reasonable where the attendant can still perform every duty for every space.
The entry supervisor
The entry supervisor is responsible for the entry as a whole. Depending on the organization, this may be a foreman, a supervisor or a designated permit issuer. The supervisor should:
- Know the hazard assessment and the program requirements for the space
- Prepare and verify the permit, including isolation, testing and ventilation
- Confirm that rescue arrangements are in place and available before authorizing entry
- Brief the entrants and attendant
- Have the authority to stop the work at any time
- Hand over the permit properly at shift changes or when leaving the site
- Close the permit once the work is complete and the space is secured
The permit itself is described in Confined space entry permits.
The rescue team and the gas tester
The rescue team, whether in-house or contracted, must be trained and equipped for the specific spaces and must be available during the entry. Rescue team duties are set out in the rescue plan, covered in Confined space rescue planning. Many programs also name the person who performs atmospheric testing. This may be the supervisor, the attendant or a separate trained tester, but the program should make clear who it is and what training they need.
Who does what at each stage
| Stage | Entry supervisor | Attendant | Entrant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before entry | Verifies isolation, testing, ventilation and rescue; signs the permit; briefs the crew | Checks communication and retrieval equipment; confirms who will enter | Reviews the permit and hazards; checks personal equipment and detector |
| During entry | Checks in on the entry; stops work if conditions or the job change | Stays at the entry point; keeps count; monitors readings and surroundings | Works within the permit; keeps contact; watches for warning signs |
| Alarm or emergency | Takes charge of the scene with the rescue team | Orders everyone out; calls rescue; starts non-entry retrieval if planned; keeps others out | Leaves at once without finishing the task |
| End of work | Confirms everyone is out, the space is secured and the permit is closed | Confirms the final count matches the log | Removes tools and materials; reports anything unexpected |
Handing over the attendant role
Attendants need breaks, and long entries cross shift changes. A handover should never leave the entry point unwatched. A simple sequence works well:
- The relief attendant arrives before the current attendant leaves.
- They go through the permit together: who is inside, the latest gas readings, the communication method and the rescue arrangements.
- The relief attendant confirms contact with each entrant by name.
- The change is recorded on the permit or attendant log with the time and both names.
- Only then does the outgoing attendant leave.
A typical mistake
On a short job, the attendant is asked to fetch a tool from the truck "for two minutes". Nobody is watching the opening, the entrant's detector alarm goes unheard, and the crew is lucky that the entrant climbs out alone. The fix is in the program, not just the briefing: the attendant role is full-time, a second person runs errands, and if the attendant must leave, everyone leaves the space first.
Training and competency
Each person needs training that matches their role and the spaces involved. In general this includes:
- Recognizing confined space hazards and the signs and symptoms of exposure
- The employer's confined space program, permit system and communication methods
- Use and limits of gas detectors, respiratory protection and retrieval equipment
- Emergency and evacuation procedures
- For rescuers, rescue techniques, first aid and practical drills
- For supervisors, hazard assessment, isolation, permit preparation and stop-work authority
Keep records of who has been trained for which role and when refreshers are due. Training alone does not make someone competent: supervised experience and periodic review matter too.
How ehZee can help
We define roles and responsibilities in your confined space program, set training requirements for each role, and design permits that name each person. See our confined space programs service.
Common questions
Can the supervisor also be the attendant?
Sometimes, on small jobs, if the person can carry out every attendant duty without distraction and the province and program allow it. Where supervision would pull them away from the entry point, the roles should be separate.
Do contractors' workers need the same training?
Yes. Anyone filling a role needs training for it, whoever employs them. The owner and contractor should agree in writing who supplies each role and confirm training before work starts.