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OSHA Requirements for a Stand-By Rescue Team

Confined space accidents result in death 1 out of 10 times, according to OSHA. Many of these are rescuers; one third of all deaths are trained or well-meaning responders. Twenty-three percent of all confined space accidents involve more than one fatality. OSHA adopted Confined Space Regulations CFR, 1910.146 Industrial to set confined space rescue team requirements and reduce incident severity.

  1. Evaluation and Selection

    • OSHA regulations for a stand-by rescue team allow companies to decide how they will meet the requirements. Employers can comply by using local emergency services, an on-site team of employees or by contracting a private stand-by rescue team. A prospective rescue team must demonstrate the ability to respond to an emergency in a timely manner and possess the equipment and skills necessary to rescue personnel from any confined space on site. Employers evaluate each team and select the one that works best for their situation.

    Response Time

    • A stand-by rescue team is required to respond and reach any victim within a time appropriate to the workplace hazard. OSHA standard 1910.134, Respiratory Protection requires a stand-by team in place ready to make immediate entry if workers are in a life-threatening atmosphere. OSHA does not set a specific response time if the hazard is not life-threatening, but does provide guidance in Non-Mandatory Appendix F: Rescue Team or Rescue Service Evaluation Criteria.

    Equipment

    • OSHA requires a stand-by rescue team be equipped to perform the needed rescue services. This will vary with the confined space hazard. Teams typically must have self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or supplied air respirators (SAR), personal protective equipment (PPE), barricades, ventilation methods, low-voltage lighting, radios, victim removal devices and atmospheric testing equipment. If the rescue team is an on-site employee team, the employer must provide this equipment.

    Skills

    • Stand-by rescue team members are required to have OSHA-approved training and certification in confined space entry and rescue (CSER). They must be trained and OSHA HAZWOPER certified to respond to immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) atmosphere rescues. Team members must be trained and proficient in PPE use and hazard identification, and at least one team member must be certified in basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Employers must provide this training if the rescue team members are employees.

    Annual Drill

    • OSHA requires a stand-by rescue team practice their skills by making at least one rescue every 12 months. Rescues may be simulated drills or actual evolutions. Team members will remove actual persons or dummies from real or representative confined spaces. Representative spaces should simulate the actual confined space rescue areas as closely as possible.

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