Confined Space Rescue

Info Sheet 10 a

Both the Building Code and Fire Code require us to have a suitable emergency response plan
to get our workers to safety. The confined space legislation puts confined space rescue
squarely on the shoulders of the employer. Relying only on your local emergency services is
not an option. A poor Rescue Plan may get the job shutdown by an inspector and possible
prosecution under the confined space legislation. However a Rescue Plan that fails will bring
additional charges against you under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. In addition, you
may also see charges laid under the Criminal Code for gross negligence causing death.
Confined Space Rescue Plans are based on the following three scenarios:
 Self Rescue - an alarm goes off and the worker exits on their own accord
 Non Entry Rescue - the worker is pulled straight out of the area from the outside
 Entry Rescue - because of injuries, the design, or other possible complications a rescuer
must enter the area to get the worker out.
Each scenario makes certain assumptions. For example, for Self Rescue to occur, all hazard
control systems must be in place and functioning to provide the entrant with sufficient time to
escape should something occur. In some cases one or more scenarios may not be an option
(eg. Pulling someone more than 3m may cause additional injuries so non entry rescue may
not be an option in a long tunnel job).
The Rescue Plan developed must work in any situation. A Rescue Plan is not a guide. The
Plan is a sequential listing of all the steps necessary to complete the rescue. To achieve this
you must identify:
- what types of injuries that may occur (based on the hazards found when uncontrolled)
- obstacles that are in the space that may complicate the situation, examples include:
 IDLH Atmospheres
 Ceiling height less than .9m (35")
 Passageways width less than .66m (24")
 Elevation changes in passageways more than .3m (12")
 Corners with turning radius of less than .66m (24")
Once armed with this information, you can make decisions regarding:
- the tools that will be needed to effect the rescue, and
- the people or groups of people to carry out the tasks required.

2501 Rutherford Rd., Unit 22 Vaughan ON www.safetyscope.net 416-231-3752

 Confined Space Rescue

Info Sheet 10 b
Life Over Limb
Often, most rescue plans consist of a simple thought - get them out no matter what. The CSA
Z1006, Clause 6.6.2(d) states that an IDLH entry rescue is the ONLY rescue scenario where the
principle of “life over limb” is allowed. “Life over limb” involves quickly moving a patient without
stabilization in situations where there is immediate danger to the patient. Determining “life over
limb” situations is a subjective exercise, but generally involves the following:
a. an atmosphere that contains contaminants that are of sufficient quantity to cause workers to
become disoriented, develop an acute respiratory impairment, or die
b. an unknown atmosphere with contaminates that could cause respiratory impairment or death
c. fire is present or the likelihood of fire is high
d. explosives are present or there is an imminent danger of explosion
e. the work area contains hazards (chemical, biological, or physical) other than those specified
in Items (a) to (d) that could cause immediately life-threatening injuries (e.g., crush injuries,
burns, engulfment, or suffocation)
f. an inability to gain access to workers who need life-saving care
g. an inability to render life-saving care because of an injured worker’s location or position. In
“life over limb” situations, an injured worker should be moved a reasonable distance from
the hazard, i.e., out of danger, but no farther. The injured worker should then be stabilized
before being moved again.
Once all this information is readied you can draft a plan for each scenario that you are going to
have for your operation. Each plan becomes a script like the screen play or a script of a great movie
or play. The words in the script should enable the actors to convey emotion, character background,
positioning, and tell the story in such a way that the audience gets it. Your Rescue Plan needs to di-
rect your team so they know what comes first, second and third. It also must detail what tools they
need, possible complications and a potential plan B. The more detailed the plan, the better the out-
come. The final step, once all the details are developed, is to merge the different scenario plans into
one seamless Rescue Plan.
Now that the Plan is developed, it is critical that you test the plan. During the testing don’t sweat
the mistakes as you will find some. That’s the rationale for testing - debugging. Fix the problems as
you find them. It is recommended that plans be tested annually and updated (debugged) as required.
 Confined Space Rescue

Info Sheet 10 c

Self Non Entry Entry Rescue

Rescue Rescue
People Attendant Attendant Attendant
Needed Dispatcher Dispatcher Dispatcher
First Aider Retrieval System Opera- Retrieval System Operator(s)
tor(s)

Action 1. Hazard 1. Incident occurs 1 Incident occurs

Plan found (e.g. 2. Communicate with 2 Communicate with worker(s) to determine ex-
monitor goes worker(s) to determine tent of problem
off) extent of problem 3 Call out additional personnel
2. Worker(s) 3. Call out first aid per- 4 Retrieval team dons PPE & enters
notified sonnel 5 Patient is located, assessed and packaged
3. Worker(s) 4. Use retrieval system 6 Use retrieval system with the aid of the Re-
leave to remove casualty from trieval Team to remove casualty from space
space
Tools Clear path Clear path Clear path
(e.g. ladder) Communication System Communication System
Communica- Full Body Harness Full Body Harness
tion Y Lanyard with spreader Rescuer Lockout/Tagout
System bar Y Lanyard with spreader bar
Retrieval System with Retrieval System with mechanical advantage
mechanical advantage Packaging Device
Supplied Air System (if needed)
Assisting Devices (e.g. Creeper)
Health No or Minor Variety of Injuries Variety of injuries
Care Injury Ensure entire body Must be protected when moving
Issues First aid per- (especially the head) is First aid performed when moving
formed out- not “hooked” on an ob- First aid inside limited to airway kept open, gross
side space struction (e.g. entry bleeding controlled & prevent dust getting into
point doorway) patients eyes
First aid performed out- All other first aid performed outside of space
side space
Confined Space Rescue

Info Sheet 10 d

ACCOUNTABILITY LOG
Confined Space Rescue

Info Sheet 10 e
 Confined Space Rescue

Info Sheet 10 f

Degree of Complexity Failure (from flowchart on previous page)

If the space has any of the following issues, Entry R

Issue Action
Hazardous or unknown atmosphere or Entrant has a de- Rescuer(s) wear respiratory protection
creased level of Consciousness
Travel Distances (over 5 m) More than 1 Rescuer
Uneven or obstacles along the travel path (less than More than 1 Rescuer plus increase in lifting skills or
1.2m high or .9 m wide) abilities required
Height and width of travel path (less than 1.2m high More than 1 Rescuer and rescuers need to be smaller in
or .9 m wide) stature
Changes in travel path direction (slopes, turning radius More than 1 Rescuer, patient packaging devices need to
less than .6m) be short & lifting skills/abilities required

Entanglement or entrapment issues (off set openings, More than 1 Rescuer with extraction skills and tools
engulfment, elevated entry points, etc.) required

Suggested Intervention Times

Intervention time means the time from the onset of symptoms to when the Rescuer would reach the casualty.

Type of Injury/Illness Examples Suggested Intervention Times

& Rational
Life Threatening Cardiac/Respiratory Arrest 4 to 6 minutes – brain tissue without
Oxygen begins dying at a rapid rate
Anaphylactic Shock
at this time
Critical Injury/Illness Cardiac/Respirator Distress, Full 10 minutes – based on the Golden
thickness burns, severe bleeding, Hour or Trauma, (if someone reach-
unconsciousness, Femur or Pelvis es medical care before 60 minutes,
Fractures, crush injuries and amputa- patients survival is greatly en-
tions hanced).
Minor Injury/Illness Fractures (except femur & pelvis), 30 to 60 minutes – these types of
loss of eyesight, less than 30% of the injuries although they may be pain-
body covered with Superficial and/or ful, would generally not cause death
partial thickness burns, early onset of even if they reached medical care
most medical conditions, small outside the Golden Hour of Trauma
wounds