In brief
A person who goes into a confined space unprepared to rescue a collapsed employee meets the same atmosphere and often becomes a second victim. Rescue therefore cannot be improvised: before entry, a tripod, winch and rescue line making rescue from outside possible must be ready; if it is necessary to go inside, this must be done only by a trained team equipped with breathing apparatus. The plan is written into the emergency plan and drilled.
Why is confined space rescue planned separately?
An attendant looking in through the manhole of a tank sees the employee inside collapse. The first reflex is to jump in. This is the painful scenario that recurs in confined space accidents: the second person who goes in also loses consciousness after a few breaths, sometimes followed by a third. Confined space rescue means replacing this reflex with a method prepared in advance.
For the definition of a confined space, the entry permit and the attendant's duties, see our article on working in confined spaces, and for the testing to be done before entry and during work, our article on confined space gas testing. This article focuses on what happens when something goes wrong.
Why does a second victim occur?
The cause of a second victim is not a lack of courage but a lack of knowledge and preparation. The main causes are:
- The atmosphere is still there. The oxygen deficiency or toxic gas that caused the first employee to collapse is just as dangerous for the person going in to rescue them. Some gases, such as nitrogen, give no colour or smell; the warning sign is often the loss of consciousness itself.
- False confidence in protection. A dust mask or a filter gas mask gives no protection if the air is deficient in oxygen. A filter cleans the air; it does not make up for missing oxygen.
- Time pressure. The rescuer goes in without testing and without increasing ventilation.
- Physical difficulty. Getting an unconscious adult up through a narrow manhole and a vertical ladder is almost impossible without equipment. The rescuer tires inside, breathes more and is affected more quickly.
- No plan. Who will do what, where the equipment is and what to tell 112 have not been decided in advance.
A worker collapses in a confined space: what to do in the first minutes?
When a worker collapsed in a confined space is noticed, the sequence to be followed by the attendant and those nearby must be written in the plan and known by everyone:
- Do not go inside. The attendant does not leave their post and does not go inside unprepared.
- Raise the alarm. Activate the pre-arranged alarm, call the rescue team and call 112.
- Give information. Tell 112 the address of the site, the type of space (tank, silo, well), its depth, the size of the entry opening and the suspected gas. Send someone to the site entrance to meet the vehicle.
- Try to pull from outside. If the employee is attached to a tripod or winch with a rescue line, try to get them out by pulling from outside. This is the safest way to rescue.
- Increase ventilation. Switch on or boost mechanical ventilation. Never use pure oxygen for ventilation.
- Check energy and lines. Confirm that sources such as the agitator, feed valve and pump are off and locked.
- Protect the area. Prevent unauthorised people, especially employees wanting to rescue their colleague, from entering.
- Wait for the team. Only the trained rescue team equipped with breathing apparatus goes inside. First aid for the employee brought out is given outside, in fresh air.
The rescue hierarchy: from outside first
Rescue methods follow an order; build your plan around this order.
| Level | How is it done? | Precondition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Self-rescue | The employee leaves by themselves when the detector alarms or the attendant warns them | Personal detector throughout the work, a clear exit route, an escape set if necessary |
| 2. Rescue from outside | The attendant or team gets the employee out with a rescue line and winch without going inside | Employee permanently attached to the line; tripod or anchor point set up at the entrance |
| 3. Entry rescue | A team with breathing apparatus goes inside, attaches the employee and brings them out | Trained team, suitable breathing apparatus, testing, ventilation, back-up rescuer |
| 4. External support | Fire brigade and 112 teams | Coordination arranged in advance, information on access to the site |
There are also spaces where rescue from outside is not possible: such as a duct travelled horizontally or a reactor with obstructions inside. In this case the line can hinder the employee's movement, and the entry rescue plan becomes even more important.
Tripod rescue and the equipment to prepare in advance
A tripod rescue set-up is the basis of rescue from outside in confined spaces with vertical entry. The equipment is set up before entry and not taken down until the job is finished.
| Equipment | Purpose | Point to note |
|---|---|---|
| Tripod or davit arm | A fixed lifting point over the manhole | Set up to suit the size of the entry and the ground |
| Rescue winch suitable for lifting people | Pulling the employee up from outside | A materials winch is not used for people |
| Fall arrester with rescue function | Stopping a fall and lifting the employee up | Checked according to the instructions for use and maintenance |
| Full body harness | The point the line is attached to | Suitable attachment rings for upright extraction through narrow manholes; for selection see full body safety harness |
| Multi-gas detector | Oxygen, flammable gas and expected toxic gases | Calibration up to date; one with the team too |
| Ventilation fan and hose | Improving the atmosphere | The fan's intake draws from clean air |
| Breathing apparatus | Entry rescue | Self-contained apparatus or airline apparatus with escape set |
| Lighting and communication | Visibility and communication | Equipment suitable for explosive atmospheres if a flammable atmosphere is possible |
| Stretcher suitable for confined spaces | Carrying the employee | A type that fits through the manhole |
| First aid supplies | Treating the employee brought out | Ready at the entry point |
The suitability of electrical equipment to be used in areas where a flammable atmosphere can form must be consistent with the explosive atmosphere assessment.
How is a confined space rescue team set up?
Art. 11 of Law No. 6331 on Occupational Health and Safety requires the employer to appoint a sufficient number of people who are trained and suitably equipped in matters including rescue and first aid to deal with emergencies, to provide tools and equipment, to arrange training and drills, and to make arrangements for liaison with organisations outside the workplace, especially for rescue. Art. 12 provides that, while a serious and imminent danger continues, employees other than those who have the necessary equipment and have been specially appointed may not be asked to continue work. The Regulation on Emergencies in Workplaces also lists the rescue team as one of the emergency teams.
A confined space rescue team should cover the following roles for entries:
- Team leader: Manages the rescue, decides on entry and maintains communication with 112 and the fire brigade.
- Rescuers: People who know how to use breathing apparatus, have received confined space rescue training and have been found fit for this work by the workplace physician.
- Back-up rescuer: Waits ready at the entrance; steps in if something happens to the rescuer inside.
- Winch and line operator: Operates the tripod, winch and line.
- First aider: Treats the employee brought out, outside.
The team must be available on every shift in which confined space entry takes place. Entries made during night and weekend maintenance shutdowns may coincide with the times when the team is weakest; the entry permit should not be issued until it has been confirmed that the rescue team is ready. For training support staff, see our article on support staff training.
Rescue with breathing apparatus: know the limits
Breathing apparatus is the most critical part of the rescue plan and the most misunderstood piece of equipment.
- If oxygen deficiency or the concentration of toxic gas is unknown, only breathing apparatus independent of the ambient air is used: self-contained apparatus or airline apparatus.
- Filter masks and gas masks are for situations where oxygen is adequate and the contaminant is known and at a limited concentration; they are not suitable for rescue. For filter selection, see our article on gas mask filter colour codes.
- The duration of use of self-contained apparatus is limited; the time a rescuer can stay inside is calculated after deducting the exit time.
- Apparatus with back-mounted cylinders may not fit through narrow manholes. In this case, airline apparatus is used together with an escape set.
- The apparatus is maintained regularly; the people who will use it must have trained and practised with it.
Drills and coordination with external support
A collapse scenario in a confined space should be written into the emergency plan as a separate scenario and drilled. An emergency drill is held at least once a year and a drill form is filled in; a confined space rescue drill, however, becomes meaningful when it is done in a real manhole, with real equipment and a manikin. For how to plan the drill, see our article on how to carry out an emergency drill.
Coordination with external support should also be set up in advance. Confined spaces such as reactors, solvent tanks and granule silos are common in chemicals and plastics businesses operating in Bursa's OIZs (organised industrial zones). Share the list of confined spaces at your site, their locations and entry dimensions with the fire brigade; discuss in advance the fire brigade's capacity to respond in these spaces and the access conditions. For cooperation with the OIZ fire brigade, see our article on emergency coordination with the OIZ fire brigade. However close the external team may be, the first minutes belong to your own team.
In our emergency plan service we incorporate confined space scenarios, team duties and the equipment list into your plan; under our OHS specialist service we check entry permits and rescue readiness together with you on site. To see the number of support staff required for your headcount, you can use the OHS obligation calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I see someone collapsed in a confined space, should I go in?
No. First raise the alarm and call the rescue team and 112. If the employee is attached to a line, try to get them out by pulling from outside and increase ventilation. Only the trained rescue team equipped with breathing apparatus goes inside.
Can a rescue be carried out with a filter gas mask?
It should not be. Filter masks give no protection against oxygen deficiency and are inadequate against high concentrations of toxic gas. For rescue, self-contained or airline breathing apparatus independent of the ambient air is used.
Is a tripod needed for every confined space entry?
For confined spaces with vertical entry, a tripod or similar lifting point, a winch suitable for lifting people and a rescue line must be ready before entry to make rescue from outside possible. For spaces with horizontal entry, the rescue method is planned separately according to the structure of the space.
How often should confined space rescue drills be held?
Emergency drills are held at least once a year. In businesses where confined space entry is frequent, it is advisable to plan practical sessions with the equipment for the rescue team more often and to review the plan after every drill.
An emergency plan that really works on site, with scenarios, support teams, evacuation diagrams and an annual drill.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.