Confined space rescue is a subset of

technical rescue Technical rescue is the use of specialised tools and skills for rescue, including but not limited to confined space rescue, rope rescue, trench rescue, structural collapse rescue, ice rescue, swift water rescue, underwater rescue, and cave rescue. ...

operations that involves the rescue and recovery of victims trapped in a

confined space A confined space is a space with limited entry and egress and not suitable for human inhabitants. Alternative names for a confined space are enclosed space and dangerous space. An example is the interior of a storage tank, occasionally entered by m ...

or in a place only accessible through confined spaces, such as underground vaults,

storage silo A silo () is a structure for storing Bulk material handling, bulk materials. Silos are commonly used for bulk storage of grain, coal, cement, carbon black, woodchips, food products and sawdust. Three types of silos are in widespread use toda ...

storage tank Storage tanks are containers that hold liquids or compressed gases. The term can be used for reservoirs (artificial lakes and ponds), and for manufactured containers. The usage of the word "tank" for reservoirs is uncommon in American English ...

s, or sewers. Confined space warning 01

Confined spaces are often narrow and constricting, preventing easy access by rescuers and making confined space rescues technically challenging. The spaces are usually unlit or poorly lit, requiring a light source to be provided. Confined spaces may contain

hazardous material Dangerous goods are substances that are a risk to health, safety, property or the Natural environment, environment during transport. Certain dangerous goods that pose risks even when not being transported are known as hazardous materials (syll ...

s in

liquid Liquid is a state of matter with a definite volume but no fixed shape. Liquids adapt to the shape of their container and are nearly incompressible, maintaining their volume even under pressure. The density of a liquid is usually close to th ...

gas Gas is a state of matter that has neither a fixed volume nor a fixed shape and is a compressible fluid. A ''pure gas'' is made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon) or molecules of either a single type of atom ( elements such as ...

form, and oxygen may be limited. These hazards can be fatal as they create a limited window of time in which to perform a rescue. After four minutes without

oxygen Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...

a person will usually suffer

asphyxia Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of deficient supply of oxygen to the body which arises from abnormal breathing. Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which affects all the tissues and organs, some more rapidly than others. There are m ...

causing

brain damage Brain injury (BI) is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells. Brain injuries occur due to a wide range of internal and external factors. In general, brain damage refers to significant, undiscriminating trauma-induced damage. A common ...

death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...

. The urgent need to rescue someone from a confined space often leads to ill-prepared rescue attempts. Two-thirds of all deaths occurring in confined spaces are attributed to persons attempting to rescue someone else.

Confined space rescue categories

Self rescue

A person may recognize a critical condition or symptoms of exposure, and exit the space without assistance. Alternatively, an entry monitor outside the space may recognize a new hazard and have people leave the space before they are affected. This is the preferred rescue method, as confined space hazards can quickly incapacitate or kill. A person can almost always exit a confined space much faster than waiting to be rescued.

Non-entry rescue

A non-entry rescue involves attempting to extricate an incapacitated person without having anyone else enter the confined space. USMC-100422-M-6993C-253

Entry rescue

This is a last resort option as having more personnel enter an area that has already incapacitated one or more persons places the rescuer at considerable risk. Entry rescues must be carefully planned and executed to avoid creating more victims in need of rescue. Rescuers need to be aware of their surroundings and must reevaluate their plans immediately if there is any change in the conditions of the confined space. In the event of an entry rescue, standby rescuers are recommended in the event that the initial entry rescuer(s) encounter trouble.

Rescue equipment

Due to the unique nature of confined space rescues, there is specialized equipment necessary to perform a safe and successful rescue. One of the initial pieces of equipment employed in a confined space is a method of ventilation to disperse collected hazardous gases and introduce fresh

air An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosph ...

into the environment. A wristlet is often the first item used to actually perform the rescue, as opposed to the ventilator which is used to prepare the environment for a rescue. A wristlet is a cloth strap that is used t
cinch
tightly around the wrist or ankle of an incapacitated person. Once the strap is looped around a hand or foot, its attached rope is pulled by rescuers, tightening around the arm or leg and pulling the victim out of the confined space. In the event that an entry rescue must be performed, rescue personnel will wear

protective clothing Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electr ...

appropriate for the situation. This may include a self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), protective headgear and the use of explosion proof lighting (to prevent igniting any gases). The rescuer may also wear a full body harness with an attached safety line, especially if a vertical descent is required. To assist in vertical descents, a mechanical

winch A winch is a mechanical device that is used to pull in (wind up) or let out (wind out) or otherwise adjust the tension (physics), tension of a rope or wire rope (also called "cable" or "wire cable"). In its simplest form, it consists of a Bobb ...

and tripod may be set up over the access point, if the bottom of the confined space is more than five feet from the entrance. The rescuers may also carry monitoring equipment by which they can ascertain the quality of the air in the environment. Even if the

air quality Air pollution is the presence of substances in the Atmosphere of Earth, air that are harmful to humans, other living beings or the environment. Pollutants can be Gas, gases like Ground-level ozone, ozone or nitrogen oxides or small particles li ...

reading does not indicate any hazardous conditions, it is still recommended that rescuers wear SCBA.

Regulation

In the UK confined space is governed by HSE (Health and Safety Executive), which states that those entering a confined space cannot rely on 999 for rescue. In Canada, The Oil Sands Safety Association has a certification program for Confined Space Entry and Monitor.

References

External links

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Confined Space Rescue and Training Facilities

Confined Space Rescue Services and Training , Every year, hundreds of workers suffer needless injuries, even death, due to inadequate (or non-existent) confined space entry programs.
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