When Does a Confined Space Rescue Start Communication to the Rescue

7/27/2019 When Does a Confined Space Rescue Start Communication to the Rescue

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When Does a Confined Space Rescue Start? COMMUNICATIONTO THE RESCUE

Any safety regulat ion that comes with a bui lt-in plan fo r executing a rescue from theenvironment being regulated, speaks volumes about the dangers of work ing in thatenvironment!

Jan. 12, 2007

by Terry Ibbetson

Any safety regulation that comes with a built-in plan for executing a rescue from the environmentbeing regulated, speaks volumes about the dangers of working in that environment!

Regulations for Confined Space entry fall into this category and you only have to look at the statisticsto understand why. In normal work places, for every 1400 accidents reported, one results in a deathor serious injury. In confined spaces, it is one in ten! Also, for every person dying in a confined

space, almost two people die trying to execute a rescue. Many of these are professional rescuers.

In 1993 the USA became the first country to enforce dedicated Confined Space Regulations on anational scale. Since then many countries have followed suit including Canada, Australia, NewZealand and Great Britain with other European Countries following soon. In a very short time frame,safety of workers in confined spaces has become a global issue, even though it has been a problemfor generations.

The regulations were introduced to improve statistics by mandating that companies not onlyrecognize, but inventory and label all confined spaces within their operations. They also mandatethat workers understand the hazards of working in confined spaces, are properly trained andequipped to handle them and have access to a fully trained and fully equipped Rescue Team in theevent of a problem.

The checks and balances needed to make this work in the millions of confined space entries doneeach year, became part of a Confined Space Entry Permit. This document records every aspect ofevery entry and has to be completed each time someone enters a confined workspace, or as it isnamed in some countries, a "Permit Required Confined Space".

As you can imagine, the Permit is a very important working document, which, if used correctly,guarantees safe entry for workers and the best possible chance of their being rescued in the eventof a problem. The Permit is used as a record that lockout and tag procedures have been followedand safe levels of oxygen and explosive gasses are present prior to worker entry. Among otheressential items, the permit also records the name of the Rescue Team who will respond if a problemoccurs, along with how to contact them. The Rescue Team must have been informed of the entry inadvance and agree to be listed on the Permit.

Unfortunately, like all important documents, the permit becomes more important after a problem

occurs, as evidence that prescribed procedures were followed prior to the problem occurring.According to current statistics, confined space workers are more likely to die in the event of anaccident than in any other job, and could very well take one or two fellow employees with them. Forthis reason, understanding how a confined space rescue can be prepared for in advance, should bevery important to all companies responsible for these activities which are essential for them toremain in business. Liability is also a situation companies should try to avoid, especially when itinvolves the death of an employee, which could have been avoided.

The introduction of enforceable confined space regulations in the USA, created two separateentities. The first is the worker Entrant Team and the second, the Rescue Team. Each has adifferent reason for entering a space and each has a different set of priorities. Under regulation, both


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rely on each other for their very existence, however, if the safety of Entrants is to be guaranteed bothshould understand and anticipate each other's needs.

The responsibility for understanding leans more towards the people who will summon the RescueTeam. Unfortunately, few Entrant Teams fully understand the mechanics of a confined spacerescue. Many do not realize that with better preparation they could significantly reduce the timetaken to rescue a fellow worker in the event of a problem.

Bear in mind that Rescue Teams spend their lives finding ways to safely reduce rescue times, givingaccident victims a better chance of survival. They choose their equipment carefully and train with itas a Team, so that when the time comes to execute a real rescue, the time taken is the leastpossible they can do. Anything that can be done by a victim's fellow Team members to shortenrescue time must therefore be considered an essential act.

We must not forget that a confined space rescue starts with the discovery that an Entrant is introuble and ends when the Entrant is safely out of the space and in the care of medical personnel. Ifthe concern is truly for the safe rescue of an Entrant, then the total time involved should be looked at

a single entity to provide all Entrants and their rescuers with the best possible chance for asuccessful rescue.

Consider the following: After an Entrant goes down or indicates that there is a problem, the SafetyAttendant should be the first person to know and with a minimum of elapsed time should be able tosummon a Rescue Team. An on-site Rescue Team can be alerted by sounding an alarm, by radio,by telephone or by word of mouth. The Team will usually assemble at a pre-determined station tocollect their equipment and be told where their services are needed on-site. An off-site RescueTeam can be alerted by radio or by telephone and must then respond as quickly as possible. Onceat the scene the RescueTeams, whether from on-site or off-site, must assess the problem, prepare for the rescue and thenexecute the rescue to its completion.

The time-frame for any rescue is therefore made up of several very specific blocks of time:

1. React Time: From when the Entrant has a problem until the time that the Safety Attendant

recognizes that the Entrant has a problem.2. Contact Time: The time taken by the Safety Attendant to actually contact the Rescue Team.3. Response Time: The time taken for a Rescue Team to arrive at the scene of the rescue.4. Assessment Time: Time taken by a Rescue Team to assess the problem and determine what

preparations are needed to perform a safe but efficient rescue.5. Preparation Time: Time taken by a Rescue Team to set up for the rescue.6. Rescue Time: Time taken for the actual rescue.

1. React Time: The job of the Safety Attendant is to Communicate with Entrants as necessary.However, the present wording in regulations does not include any firm direction as to how this

should be accomplished. For example, if the "Communication" consists of tugging a rope or tappingand the "as necessary" is set at every 10 or 15 minutes then, in a worst case situation, the timebetween an Entrant having a problem and the Safety Attendant recognizing the problem could bethe difference between the life or death of the Entrant. This time lapse is caused by poorcommunication between Attendant and Entrant. Steps can be taken to eliminate it by specifyingvoice communication equipment be used for all entries. With continuous voice communication,

Attendants will know instantly if Entrants are experiencing problems.

This will allow them to fulfill their role as protector, by calling the Rescue Team and attempting to talkEntrants through a self-rescue.

2. Contact Time: Procedures for summoning a Rescue Team are included in regulations, whichtypically call for appropriate contacts, telephone numbers, etc. to be listed on the permit. Also the


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named Rescue Team should have been advised of the entry in advance. Assuming procedures arefollowed correctly, this time should be minimal.

3. Response Time: This time is influenced by many different elements, which relate directly to thelocation of the Rescue Team (on-site or off-site) and the type of entry being performed by the victim.For example, if the victim was using supplied air, either from an air-line or SCBA, at the time of theaccident, loss of air would make the victim dependant on the air in a 5 or 10-minute escape pack. Inthis event, location of the Rescue Team becomes an important factor. Companies relying on off-siteRescue Teams should assess the types of entries being performed on their site and consider havinga stand-by Rescue Team on-site when doing entries with breathing equipment. This action willreduce Response Time to a minimum.

4. Assessment Time: Starts when the Rescue Team arrives at the scene. The outcome of thisimportant step dictates how the rescue will be performed and what equipment will be used to bringthe victim out safely and efficiently. During this time the hazards that will face rescuers entering thespace are identified and prepared for.

Knowing the physical layout of the space and surrounding areas is essential and much of theinformation, if not visible or documented, should be available from the Safety Attendant and otherkey employees of the company.

Establishing contact with the victim (Initial Patient Contact) is of primary importance and commenceswith the arrival of the Team. Whether conscious or not, the victim can provide the Team withessential data for a safe and efficient rescue. The faster that contact can be made with the victim,the sooner the rescue will start. If the problem site was utilizing continuous voice communicationequipment for their entry then, with communication already established, the Rescue Team can makeInitial Patient Contact immediately on arrival, reducing the overall assessment time significantly.

It is also important to consider the positive effect on both victim and Safety Attendant of having voicecontact during the wait period.

5. Preparation Time: Starts when the assessment is complete. The length of this time block, whichincludes monitoring the space, rope rigging, donning the harness's and breathing equipment etc., iscontrolled by the experience and training of the Rescue

6. Rescue Time: This is the actual time taken for the rescue and commences when the first rescuerenters the confined space. This is a critical time for both victim and rescuers, and must be usedsafely and efficiently. Rescue Teams are constantly looking for ways to reduce Rescue Time withoutdetracting from the safety of any Team member, while increasing their overall efficiency.

The type of equipment used by the Team, their rescue technique and previous training all have adirect bearing on the amount of time taken for the rescue. This includes the time taken to reach thevictim, to address immediate medical needs, prepare the victim for removal, move the victim to theentrance of the space and finally to remove the victim from the space. Essential life protectionequipment used includes breathing apparatus, gas monitors, lif ting and fall protection devices and

communication equipment all designed to safeguard Team members and allow them to executesafe, efficient rescuers.

Based on knowing the elements of a confined space rescue, we can determine that by usingcommunication equipment for all entries, in the event of a problem the React Time will be eliminatedand when the Rescue Team arrives, the Assessment Time will be drastically reduced or eliminated.

Also having the safety Attendant in continuous contact, the victim may be more relaxed and lessstressed when the Rescue Team arrives.

Apart from saving time during a rescue situation, having good communication during any confinedspace entry has a calming effect on Entrants and could prevent problems from occurring. Manyother benefits can be derived from having communication for entry; however, it must be the rightkind of equipment for this unique work environment.


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Confined spaces are very different from any other work area and must be treated accordingly. Thetwo methods of electronic voice communication most considered are wireless, using two-way radiosand hard line, using a cable connected intercom system.

Radio equipment is extremely effective when used by Safety Attendants outside spaces to maintaincontact with their base or, to call for a Rescue Team if needed. Portable Radios operate mostefficiently when the transmitter and receiver are on the same plane, without obstruction. Radiosignals do not penetrate metal or concrete with re-bar, which describes a majority of confined spaceenvironments. Radio communication in spaces is therefore subject to dead spots or reduced signalstrength resulting in messages that are garbled or not received.

The best overall choice for reliable communication in confined spaces is a hard line intercomsystem. A full duplex intercom system allows hands-free, private communication between Safety

Attendants and their Entrants for 100% of the time and provides the continuous human contact thatis desired by most Entrants during entry.

The benefits of having good communication with this type of system, however, must be weighed

against the presence of a cable. When using supplied air-breathing apparatus, the cable can beattached to the air-line, creating a single umbilical, which can be easily managed. In most cases,proper training with the equipment significantly reduces this as a problem.

No matter which equipment is selected, care must be taken to ensure its survival in this harshenvironment. As with all electronic equipment, it must be electrically shielded. It must also beextremely rugged, resistant to chemicals and be environmentally sealed. Most importantly, as amajority of confined spaces are classified as being explosive, the equipment must not be the causeof an explosion. Equipment should therefore carry Intrinsically Safe Approval from an accreditedagency (CSA), for the explosive substances it may be exposed to during entry.

The value of having the right tool for the job is a principle we are all familiar with. While life savingequipment is essential for confined space entry, it is abundantly clear that voice communicationhelps them use it safely. Communication also provides peace of mind to anyone entering a confined

space. In this environment, the right communication equipment is a tool for the worker that providescontinuous, hands free voice contact with outside Attendants and bridges the dark gap between aproblem occurring and the arrival of a rescuer.

by: T. A. (Terry) Ibbetson, PresidentCON-SPACE COMMUNICATIONS INC.1160 Yew Avenue, P. O. Box 1540Blaine, Washington 98231Phone (206) 332-2020 or (800) 546-3405Fax (206) 332-3312 or (800) 546-3410e-mail: [email protected]

www.conspace.com

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When Does a Confined Space Rescue Start Communication to the Rescue