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Confined-Space

Search and Rescue

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Objectives (1 of 3)

• Identify the need for confined-space search and rescue operations.

• Recognize and identify confined-space hazards.

• Identify various types of confined spaces.

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Objectives (2 of 3)

• Describe the resources needed to conduct a confined-space search and rescue operation.

• Describe response planning and incident management requirements related to a confined-space search and rescue incident.

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Objectives (3 of 3)

• Describe site control operations at a confined-space incident.

• Describe non-entry rescue considerations at a confined-space incident.

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Skills Objective

• Perform a non-entry retrieval of a victim at a simulated confined-space event.

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Confined-Space Rescue Guidelines

• OSHA has written rules governing safe operating procedures for confined-space entry that are followed by the private-sector. – Federal OSHA Standard 1910.146, Permit-

Required Confined Spaces

• Public safety organizations should adopt SOPs/SOGs to safeguard rescuers who commit to confined-space entry and rescue.

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High Risk for Confined-Space Incidents

• More than 250,000 confined-space entries occur each day by various professionals.

• Unknown number of unauthorized entries

• Many who work in confined spaces lack training in their hazards or awareness of safe practices.

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Confined Spaces Complicate Rescue

• Space constrictions make medical care challenging.

• Hazards may not be obvious and mislead rescuers into a false sense of security.– Rescuer becomes victim – Per NSC and NIOSH statistics, 50–60% or

more confined-space deaths result from secondary entries by rescue personnel.

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Confined Space Must Meet Criteria

• Have limited means of entry or egress• Lack design for continuous worker

occupancy• Contain or possibly contain dangerous air

contamination or O2 deficiency resulting from accumulation of hazardous dusts, mists, gases, vapors that cannot be removed or prevented by natural ventilation

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OSHA Permit-Required Confined Space

• Present potential for engulfment of persons by a product

• Have internal configuration that could cause occupant to suffer entrapment by inwardly converging walls, sloped and tapered floors

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Engulfment and Entrapment

• Engulfment – a victim entrapment that may occur when liquid or granular solid product flows into space and surrounds and/or buries the victim.– Example: grain in silo trapping farmer

• Entrapment – a victim is trapped by debris, soil, or other material and is unable to extricate himself.

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Confined-Space Problem Sites (1 of 3)

• Manholes • Utility vaults• Tunnels• Storm sewer systems, sanitary sewer systems• Wells and cisterns• Trenches and excavation sites• Open pits more than 4 feet (1.2 m) deep• Sump pits and sump rooms• Silos, storage bins, hoppers• Brewers’ vats

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Confined-Space Problem Sites (2 of 3)

• Septic tanks• Tank cars, reaction vessels• Industrial smokestacks, chimneys, furnaces, and boilers• Cold storage facilities• Large industrial transformers• Ship’s hold• Auto repair lift pits• Water treatment plants—sludge diffusers, pits, carbon

tanks• Sanitary sewer pumping stations

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Confined-Space Problem Sites (3 of 3)

Courtesy of Jack B. Kelley, Inc.Courtesy of Robert Rhea

Courtesy of Robert Rhea

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Applicable Standards (1 of 2)

• NFPA 1006, Standard for Technical Rescuer Professional Qualifications:– Job performance requirements needed for

technician-level rescue

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Applicable Standards (2 of 2)

• NFPA 1670, Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents: – Organizational requirements to operate safely

and effectively at confined-space emergencies • Federal OSHA Standard 1910.146, Permit-

Required Confined Spaces:– Regulatory requirements for all personnel

required to enter confined-space work sites

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Training per NFPA 1670 (1 of 3)

• Awareness level for all responders who may encounter confined space; includes:– Recognizing hazards– Securing scene– Calling for appropriate assistance – Entering confined space not permitted

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Training per NFPA 1670 (2 of 3)

• Operations level for very basic, limited entry-type rescues that meet following criteria:– Person may enter space with SCBA and no

obstructions– Victim can be seen from entryway – Team must have minimum of four members

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Training per NFPA 1670 (3 of 3)

• Technician-level required for more difficult entry-type confined-space rescues:– Also require training to meet OSHA Standard

1910.146, Permit-Required Confined Spaces– Use specialized equipment– Care for victims during rescue– Manage incident and personnel at scene– Need minimum of six team members

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Specialized Equipment (1 of 3)

• Atmospheric monitoring equipment

• Positive-pressure ventilation fans and utility blowers

• Lighting systems with explosion-proof or intrinsically safe ratings

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Specialized Equipment (2 of 3)

• Supplied-air breathing apparatus (SABA)

• Communications equipment

• Access and egress equipment

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Specialized Equipment (3 of 3)

Courtesy of Robert Rhea

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EMS Resources

• Required for victim hand-off for treatment and transport following victim removal

• Needed to care for victims with O2 deficiency, hazardous materials exposure, trauma, other injuries

• Needed to rehabilitate rescuers

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Hazardous Materials Resources

• Assist with atmospheric monitoring.• Research potential hazardous materials present.• Determine proper level of PPE.• Assist with/manage decontamination of victims

and entry team members.• Meet requirements of Chapter 4 of NFPA 472,

Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents.

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Special Logistical Support Resources

• Utility companies, public works, tunneling companies, other community resources to assist rescuers with victim extrication:– Note: utility or power equipment used as last

resort and never close to victims

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ICS Strategic Objectives

• Evaluate the scene, identify potential victims and locations.

• Initiate operations to minimize hazards to operating personnel and trapped victims.

• Initiate operations to search space effectively.• Initiate operations to rescue and remove trapped

victims.• Minimize further injury to victims during search,

rescue, and removal.

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Minimum ICS Management Personnel

• Incident commander

• Technical rescue group supervisor

• Planning section chief

• Safety officer

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Incident Action Plan

• Identifies overall control objectives

• Often requires information gathering from private sector experts:– Industrial hygienists, plant or facility

maintenance personnel, plant safety staff, and/or utility company personnel

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Pitfalls of Confined-Space Rescue

• Lack of understanding of rescue difficulties or proper training

• Improper equipment• Failure to perform an adequate situational

analysis• Inadequate staffing• Failure to understand, recognize hazards• Failure to properly mitigate or reduce hazards• Improper PPE• Lack of incident management system

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Organizational Needs Assessment

• Determines vulnerability to confined-space events in response area

• Consider types of confined spaces, associated hazards

• Determines appropriate emergency response resource needs

• Includes written procedures to request other sources of aid

• Determines capability of agency personnel

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Scene Assessment Prior to Entry

• Review on-site confined-space permit for specific information about the space.

• Interview co-workers, personnel, and others.

• Review on-site hazardous materials references and MSDS.

• Review plans, drawings, and schematics of space.

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Assessment Should Answer (1 of 2)

• What is normally stored in the confined space?

• Which operations are normally performed there?

• Which type of atmosphere might potentially be formed there?

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Assessment Should Answer (2 of 2)

• Are the responders properly trained and prepared to perform rescue?

• Do the responders have the necessary resources to perform this rescue?

• What is the previous history of work or rescues within this space?

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Atmospheric Hazards (1 of 2)

• 90 percent of fatalities in confined spaces involve:– Carbon monoxide– Hydrogen sulfide– Oxygen deficiency– Carbon dioxide– Combustible gas

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Atmospheric Hazards (2 of 2)

Courtesy of Robert Rhea

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IDLH

• Environment that contains atmospheric concentration of any toxic, corrosive, or asphyxiant substance that poses immediate threat to life or could cause irreversible or delayed adverse health effects

• Three general types of atmospheres: – Toxic, flammable, O2 deficient

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Flammable Atmospheres• Flammable gas, vapor, mist present in excess

of 10 percent lower flammable limits per OSHA• Methane production • Normal product of storage • Maintenance activities • Illegal chemical dumping• Underground storage tank, pipeline leaks • Airborne combustible dust

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Oxygen Deficiency

• O2 within confined space consumed, displaced, or absorbed

• O2 less than 19.5 percent of atmosphere or exceeds 23.5 percent of atmosphere per OSHA

• Combustion operations • Bacterial action• Introduction of another gas into space

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Toxic Atmospheres

• Natural occurrence as result of biological decay– Hydrogen sulfide, excessive CO2, or methane

• Normal storage or normal operations within space – Carbon monoxide build-up

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Rapid Atmospheric Changes Caused By

• Disturbance of natural air flow • Humidity, temperature changes• O2 depletion• Maintenance operations that release

vapors, gases• Disturbance of sludge, sediment • Vapor densities cause stratification.

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Physical Hazards (1 of 2)

• Energy sources may cause entrapment.• Flowing product may submerge, engulf

rescuer. • Sewer systems expose rescuers to toxins,

hazards.• Mines, wells may collapse.• Industrial settings have many dangers.• Elevated structures have fall hazards.

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Physical Hazards (2 of 2)

© Joan Stabnaw/ShutterStock, Inc.© Richard Thornton/ShutterStock, Inc.

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Basic Hazard Mitigation (1 of 5)

• Atmospheric monitoring:– Determines hazardous atmospheres as it’s

performed pre-entry and continuously– Involves pre-opening testing– Requires use of PPE and respiratory

protection

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Basic Hazard Mitigation (2 of 5)

• Ventilation of space:– Removes, reduces hazardous atmospheres– Uses fans, blowers to introduce clean air – Improves conditions for victims– Uses positive-pressure (when possible)– Requires caution to avoid creating airborne

combustible dust hazard

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Basic Hazard Mitigation (3 of 5)

Courtesy of Robert Rhea

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Basic Hazard Mitigation (4 of 5)

• Control of energy sources:– Prevents harm from moving machinery,

flowing fluids– Considers possibility of multiple energy

sources (battery back-up)– Uses lockout/tagout systems (if available)– Requires plans for fire protection

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Basic Hazard Mitigation (5 of 5)

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Non-Entry Rescue Procedures

• Awareness-level responders may perform in very specific circumstances:– Victim in confined-space attached by harness

to tripod and winch system.– Victim inside tank, tunnel, or pipe with

horizontal opening, where responder can reach in with tool to pull out without entry.

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Patient Care Considerations (1 of 2)

• Consider potential mechanisms of injury and package the victim accordingly.

• Use appropriate removal techniques.

• Protect the victim’s head (with helmet, if possible).

• Maintain the airway for an unconscious victim.

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Patient Care Considerations (2 of 2)

Courtesy of Robert Rhea

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Summary (1 of 2)

• Victims may be located within numerous confined spaces.

• Confined-space emergencies require various specialized resources.

• Needs assessments identify potential threats and capabilities for dealing with them.

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Summary (2 of 2)

• Hazards include O2 deficiencies, combustible/toxic atmospheres, and physical hazards.

• Awareness-level responders may attempt non-entry victim retrieval in uncomplicated confined-space situations.

• Awareness-level responders should never attempt confined-space entry.