One of my colleagues shared a harrowing incident that happened at his work a few years ago. A worker inside a wastewater treatment tank had collapsed. By the time his team noticed, he was already unconscious from hydrogen sulfide exposure, requiring an immediate confined space rescue operation.
A trained rescue team, equipped with breathing apparatus and retrieval gear, successfully extracted him and rushed him to the hospital, where he received immediate treatment. Thankfully, he survived, but the incident was a stark reminder of the critical importance of having a well-structured confined space rescue plan in place.
In this article, I’ll walk you through how to create a confined space rescue plan that meets OSHA standards and follows industry best practices for a safe and effective emergency response.
Key Takeaways
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OSHA mandates a written, site-specific rescue plan for any permit-required confined space to ensure workers can be rescued safely and efficiently.
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A confined space rescue plan must balance detail and clarity, addressing all hazards while remaining easy to follow for a fast, effective response.
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Non-entry rescue is the safest method, using retrieval systems like tripods, winches, and harnesses to extract workers without sending in rescuers.
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OSHA warns that calling 911 isn’t enough for a rescue plan. Employers must ensure that trained, equipped rescue teams are available to respond immediately.
What Is a Confined Space Rescue?
A confined space rescue happens when a worker gets trapped, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to exit a confined space without assistance. It involves a structured approach using trained personnel, specialized equipment, and established procedures to extract the worker safely while minimizing risks to both the victim and the rescue team. These confined space rescues fall into two categories:
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Time-Sensitive Rescues (Immediate Danger)
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The worker is unconscious due to toxic gases (e.g., hydrogen sulfide or CO2 exposure).
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A sudden medical emergency, like a heart attack or severe injury.
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Entrapment due to collapse, machinery failure, or structural hazards.
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Non-Time-Sensitive Rescues (Delayed, but Still Urgent)
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Worker experiences fatigue, minor injury, or equipment failure but is not in immediate danger.
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The exit path is blocked, but the worker has a safe air supply.
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Assistance is needed to exit due to disorientation or confined space layout.
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Understanding these differences is key to structuring your confined space rescue plan and choosing the right confined space rescue methods for each scenario.
What Is a Confined Space Rescue Plan?
A confined space rescue plan is a critical part of workplace safety in environments where workers operate in confined spaces. Without a rescue plan, the worker who was unconscious from hydrogen sulfide exposure could have died. Even worse, coworkers might have panicked and rushed in to help, becoming victims themselves. In fact, it was reported that would-be rescuers account for 60% of all confined space fatalities.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 1,030 workers died from occupational injuries involving confined spaces between 2011 and 2018, averaging 128 deaths per year. Trench collapses and engulfments are among the leading causes, with trench collapses alone responsible for 168 worker deaths during that period.
These numbers highlight the ongoing dangers of confined spaces and the need for a structured emergency response. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires a written, site-specific confined space rescue plan for any permit-required confined space under 29 CFR 1910.146. This plan must outline how workers will be rescued before they enter, ensuring rapid and safe emergency response.
How to Create a Confined Space Rescue Plan?
In creating a confined space rescue plan, I always emphasize that it should be detailed enough to address all hazards yet clear and concise for fast, effective execution in an emergency, with input from trained rescuers. A well-defined confined space rescue plan includes the following fundamental components:
Rescue Team & Role Assignments
Clearly define who does what in an emergency to prevent chaos and miscommunication. When roles are pre-assigned and practiced, the team can respond immediately instead of wasting time deciding who takes action. An Incident Commander (IC) typically oversees the entire rescue, makes critical decisions, and coordinates with external emergency responders if needed.
Emergency Notification & Communication Plan
Clearly define how to report emergencies and who must be alerted to ensure a fast and coordinated response. Delays in notifying the right personnel can worsen an emergency or lead to multiple casualties. Key components to integrate into emergency communication planning:
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Who should be alerted? Attendant, supervisor, or rescue team
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How to notify them? Radios, alarms, direct communication
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Who communicates with emergency responders? Designated contact person
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Pre-planned signals for communication failures like hand signals or horn blasts
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If other entries are active, entrants must exit and permits voided
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Atmospheric Testing & Hazard Monitoring
Ensure the air inside the confined space is safe before and during entry to prevent exposure to deadly gases. Since oxygen deficiency and toxic gases account for nearly half of confined space deaths, real-time monitoring helps prevent fatalities. Proper ventilation and testing as you can see in the image allow workers to enter and exit safely.
Equipment & PPE Requirements
Ensure all necessary safety and rescue equipment is available, functional, and properly used. Without the right PPE and tools, rescuers cannot safely enter or extract a worker, increasing the risk of injury or fatality. Furthermore, well-maintained equipment allows for faster and safer rescues.
Entry Procedures
Establish a structured decision-making process to determine whether a non-entry or entry rescue is required, reflecting appropriate training and ensuring rescuer safety while maximizing survival chances. Therefore, assessing the situation first prevents hasty, high-risk rescues and ensures only trained personnel enter when necessary. A pre-entry assessment also helps to plan the safest entry and extraction strategy.
Confined space rescues are classified into three primary methods, each with different levels of risk and operational requirements:
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Self-Rescue: The worker inside the confined space recognizes danger and exits the space without external assistance.
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Non-Entry Rescue: The worker is extracted from the confined space without requiring a rescuer to enter, using retrieval systems or remote assistance.
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Entry Rescue: A trained rescue team enters the confined space to retrieve an injured or unconscious worker when self-rescue and non-entry rescue are not possible.
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Medical Emergency Response & Post-Rescue Care
A rescue operation doesn’t end when the worker is pulled from the space—what happens next is just as critical. Workers rescued from confined spaces may suffer from oxygen deprivation, toxic exposure, trauma, or other life-threatening conditions that require immediate medical attention. If hazardous materials are involved, workers must be cleaned before medical transport.
The goal of a rescue plan is to provide clear and actionable guidance for responding to an emergency situation. However, a rescue plan on paper isn’t enough. Think about the worker who collapsed from toxic gas exposure. His coworkers knew not to rush in because proper training taught them the risks of unplanned rescues. Written procedures alone won’t prepare workers for the adrenaline, stress, and chaos of real emergencies.
Realistic drills help teams react instinctively. For example, a simulated rescue with a sudden communication failure forces teams to switch to backup radios or hand signals, testing their ability to adapt under pressure. These hands-on confined space rescue training exercises turn theory into practice, making workers more resilient, adaptable, and effective in real emergencies.
Who Can Conduct a Confined Space Rescue Operation?
As I’ve said, a confined space rescue operation isn’t something that just anyone can handle. OSHA and industry standards require that only trained and qualified personnel perform these rescues. The high risks involved mean that a rescue team must be fully prepared and available before an emergency occurs.
OSHA allows two types of confined space rescue teams: on-site (internal) teams and off-site (external) teams. Both have advantages and limitations, depending on the worksite, response time requirements, and the complexity of the confined space hazards:
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On-Site Rescue Teams (Internal): Employees who work at the facility and are trained to perform confined space rescues as part of their job duties.
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Off-Site Rescue Teams (External): Fire departments, industrial rescue services, or specialized third-party rescue teams that provide emergency response services.
A confined space rescue team must have specialized training in three key areas:
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Technical Rescue Skills |
Hazard Recognition & Atmospheric Monitoring |
Medical Training & Post-Rescue Care |
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Confined Space Emergency Rescue Procedure
Years of experience working in high-risk industrial environments have taught me that disorganized, ill-prepared emergency response in scenarios like confined space rescues can have devastating consequences. This procedure provides a step-by-step guide to ensure that confined space emergency rescues are conducted safely, efficiently, and in compliance with OSHA regulations:
Step 1: Establish Command & Emergency Coordination
The first step in any confined space emergency is establishing clear leadership and coordination. The Incident Commander (IC) must immediately take control, activating the rescue team and defining each person’s role. This structure prevents chaos and ensures a systematic approach to the rescue.
The IC must coordinate with both on-site response teams and external emergency services, ensuring that all necessary personnel are on standby. Meanwhile, the rescue site should be secured to prevent unauthorized access, reducing the risk of secondary accidents.
As a side note, some facilities in the planning stage may work with a specialized emergency response coordinator, industrial hygiene, or another safety professional. This team helps ensure training is appropriate, documented, and rehearsed, including determining ventilation plans for the space, location of ventilation equipment and entry portals, all factors that should be considered when designing rescue plans.
Specifically internal rescue teams must be on-site. Rescue plans should have a mechanism to ensure trained and available rescuers are onsite prior to entry.
Step 2: Site Assessment & Hazard Identification
Before entering the confined space, the rescue team must assess and control hazards. The first priority is stopping all work inside the confined space to prevent additional risks. Next, atmospheric conditions must be tested using gas detectors to check for oxygen deficiency, toxic gases, and explosive vapors. If dangerous levels are detected, ventilation must be deployed before entry.
The team must also confirm that all mechanical and electrical hazards are locked out through lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures. Additionally, rescuers should check for structural stability to ensure there is no risk of collapse, flooding, or engulfment.
Step 3: Equipment & PPE Deployment
Rescuers must be fully equipped before entering a confined space, as improper gear increases the risk of fatalities. As you can see in the image above, if oxygen levels are dangerously low or toxic gases are present, SCBA or air-purifying respirators must be used. Rescuers should also wear harnesses and tethered lifelines, allowing for immediate retrieval if conditions worsen.
If entry requires descending into a confined space, tripod and winch systems should be set up for vertical rescues. Other essential equipment includes explosion-proof lighting, gas monitors, communication devices, and medical supplies such as oxygen tanks and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).
Step 4: Attempt Non-Entry Rescue First
Whenever possible, the first attempt should be a non-entry rescue to reduce risk to the rescue team. If the trapped worker was wearing a harness and retrieval line, rescuers should use a winch or pulley system to extract them without sending anyone inside. If the worker is still conscious and able to communicate, they should be given clear instructions to assist in their own rescue if possible.
An entry rescue will be required if non-entry methods are unsuccessful due to entanglement, injury, or lack of retrieval equipment. However, this decision should not be rushed; rescuers must evaluate all alternatives before proceeding, as entering the confined space introduces a significantly higher level of risk.
Step 5: Execute Entry Rescue (If Necessary)
If non-entry methods fail, trained rescuers must enter the confined space to perform a manual extraction. Before doing so, ventilation should be deployed to remove contaminants and improve air quality. Only essential personnel should enter to limit exposure, and each rescuer must be tethered to a retrieval system to allow for quick extraction if conditions deteriorate. At least one standby rescuer must remain outside, fully equipped and ready to assist if something goes wrong.
Inside the confined space, the entry team should proceed slowly and cautiously, maintaining continuous communication with the surface team and atmospheric monitoring personnel. Every move should be calculated, ensuring that both the worker and rescuers can exit safely without unexpected hazards or structural failures.
Entry conditions must be acceptable taking into consideration if conditions are not favorable without the use of air lines, SCBA or supplied air, or other respiratory PPE equipment should be used.
Step 6: Perform Medical Response & Post-Rescue Care
Once the worker is extracted, immediate medical intervention is critical. If the worker is unconscious or not breathing, CPR should be started without delay. Oxygen administration may be necessary, especially if the worker suffers from oxygen deprivation or toxic gas exposure. A delay in medical response could lead to long-term complications or fatalities, so pre-arranged EMS coordination should be in place to transport the worker to the nearest hospital or trauma center as quickly as possible.
Rescuers and medical response teams should be trained and familiar with treatment protocols based on the exposures common at their workplaces. Incorrect treatment could be devastating to victims.
Step 7: Conduct Post-Rescue Review & Documentation
After the rescue is complete, a thorough post-rescue review must be conducted to analyze the effectiveness of the operation and identify areas for improvement. The rescue team should hold a debriefing session, discussing what went well and where there were challenges. All rescue equipment used must be inspected and serviced before the next emergency occurs.
Additionally, employers are required to document the entire incident, including atmospheric conditions, the response timeline, and the medical care provided. If the incident involved a hospitalization or a fatality, OSHA must be notified within 8 hours (Refer to OSHA 29 CFR 1904). Beyond regulatory compliance, this review process is essential for improving future rescue procedures, refining training programs, and ensuring that every team member is better prepared for the next emergency.
Which Method of Permit Space Rescue Is the Preferred Method?
The preferred method for permit space rescue is non-entry. This means that the rescue does not involve sending rescuers into the space. It’s safer, faster, and reduces the risk of additional casualties. If non-entry methods aren’t possible, only highly trained personnel should attempt entry rescue.
Common Challenges and Solutions in Confined Space Rescues
I believe that most confined space deaths are preventable, but they continue to happen because of poor planning and inadequate training. To prevent these incidents, it's crucial to address the following common challenges:
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Delayed Response Time: Have a trained on-site rescue team, conduct regular emergency drills, and establish a clear rescue activation protocol to minimize delays.
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Insufficient Training: Employers must invest in OSHA-compliant confined space rescue training, conduct hands-on drills, and retrain personnel at least annually.
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Equipment Malfunctions: Regular equipment inspections, pre-use checks, and backup gear availability prevent failures in critical moments.
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Limited Visibility and Maneuverability: Using intrinsically safe lighting, fiber-optic cameras, and pre-planned extraction techniques ensures safe navigation and smooth rescue execution.
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Communication Barriers: A wired communication system, pre-established hand signals, and backup devices ensure clear coordination between rescuers and surface teams.
Is 911 your Confined Space Rescue Plan?
No, OSHA does not assume that all emergency responders or rescue services are properly trained and equipped to conduct confined space rescues. In fact, OSHA makes it clear that employers cannot simply rely on calling 911 as their confined space rescue plan. Many local fire departments and emergency responders lack the specific training, equipment, and experience needed to safely conduct confined space rescues in industrial settings.
Under OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.146, employers are responsible for ensuring that designated rescue services are capable of performing confined space rescues safely and effectively.
So, how do you select the right emergency service provider? Employers must evaluate prospective emergency responders and select one that has:
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Adequate equipment for rescues, such as atmospheric monitors, fall protection, extraction equipment, and SCBA for the particular permit-required confined spaces.
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The ability to respond and conduct a rescue promptly based on the site conditions and capable of conducting a rescue if faced with potential hazards specific to the space. Such hazards may include:
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Atmospheric hazards (e.g., flammable vapors, low oxygen)
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Electrocution (e.g., unprotected, energized wires)
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Flooding or engulfment potential
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Poor lighting
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Fall hazards
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Chemical hazards
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Agreed to notify the employer if the rescue team becomes unavailable.
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Simply put, if your confined space rescue plan consists of simply dialing 911 without verifying whether responders are trained for confined space operations, your rescue plan is not OSHA-compliant and could cost lives.
Lastly, rescue service companies are now using technology-based solutions to help monitor conditions inside spaces before conditions are deadly. For instance, intrinsically safe cameras, monitors, detection systems, remote command centers serving as attendants, audible alarms, and speaker systems for communication are just a few of the ways technology has improved monitoring space conditions so entrants can self-rescue.
This technology can reduce the amount of labor and requires an increase in job skills, which increases pay for workers but also can reduce risk for rescuers and entrants and can reduce overall costs for employers. Some companies have fully implemented remote entry attendants in their confined space rescue planning.
Confined Space Rescue Plan FAQs
Is a rescue plan required for confined space?
Yes, OSHA requires a written confined space rescue plan for any permit-required confined space (PRCS) to ensure that workers can be rescued safely in an emergency. A rescue plan must include hazard assessment, trained personnel, equipment requirements, and emergency response procedures.
How many rescuers are needed for a confined space rescue?
OSHA does not specify an exact number, but a minimum of three trained rescuers is typically required—one entry rescuer, one backup rescuer, and one attendant outside the space. The size and complexity of the confined space may require additional personnel to ensure a safe rescue.
What are the six stages of rescue?
The six stages of confined space rescue are (1) Assess the situation, (2) Secure the area, (3) Conduct atmospheric testing, (4) Attempt non-entry rescue, (5) Execute entry rescue if needed, and (6) Provide post-rescue medical care. Each stage ensures a structured and safe approach to extracting a worker while minimizing risk to rescuers.
Is SCBA required for confined space rescue?
Yes, SCBA (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus) is required if the confined space has oxygen-deficient atmospheres, toxic gases, or unknown air quality that could be hazardous to rescuers. If ventilation alone cannot eliminate the hazard, rescuers must wear SCBAs or supplied-air respirators (SARs) before entering.
Which of the following is an enclosed space that holds network equipment?
A server room, data center, or telecommunication vault is an enclosed space that holds network equipment. If these areas have limited entry/exit and potential hazards like overheating or restricted airflow, they may be classified as confined spaces under OSHA guidelines.
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