Confined Space Rescue Plans and Response Steps
The Confined Space Rescue Plan is a legal requirement before any person enters a confined space covered by the UK regulations and the structure of the plan is very important.
Identify the Space and Its Hazards
Before entering a confined space you must carry out a survey of the space and list specific risks such as toxic fumes, lack of oxygen, risk of space flooding and access restrictions. The survey will determine what method of rescue will be required and what equipment will be needed to support the entry.
Write a Formal Rescue Plan
Finally a confined space rescue plan needs to outline the formal procedures to complete a confined space entry, in particular it needs to state who the entry supervisor is and what sort of rescue is going to be used to retrieve any people left behind in the space. Also a full list of required equipment must be included in the plan.
Position a Standby Rescue Team
A Standby Rescue Team for Confined Space Rescue is required to be in place at the entry point prior to entry. This team must be trained to retrieve a casualty and familiar with all of the equipment required for entry and for retrieval of a casualty. The team must also be familiar with their specific role during a rescue.
Follow the Emergency Sequence
Stopping entry and calling for an alarm is critical, and the confined space rescue follows a strict sequence of retrieving the casualty using the non-entry method of retrieval first and then contacting the emergency services if required for a full extraction. Confined Space Rescue is covered in more detail at https://www.agofirerescue.com/confined-space-rescue/.
Review the Plan After Any Incident
After an incident or near miss, carry out a full review of the plan and make any necessary updates. In addition, a full debrief after completed entries (even if apparently successful) can highlight any shortcomings with the plan.
A good plan is one that has been reviewed regularly to ensure it remains fit for purpose.
