OSHA defines a Confined Space as any space that
- is large enough for an employee to enter
- has limited means of access and egress
- is not designed for continuous occupancy.
This list covers tanks, boilers, sumps, pits and excavations. Both public and private sector settings are filled with all manners of confined spaces like these and they need to be inspected, repaired, or cleaned to stay operational. And it’s often impossible to achieve without getting someone suited up and inside the space to perform the work. Contractors and employees perform these “confined space entries” every day in facilities all over the country without issue. But what happens when something goes wrong? What do you do if a medical emergency or accident occurs and leaves a man down inside the space? The local Fire Department might not be able to arrive within OSHA’s time limit 1 for rescue. And a Confined Space Attendant (“Hole Watch”) cannot legally perform an entry rescue unless they are (a) trained in confined space rescue and (b) relieved by another authorized attendant.2
When an accident happens, you need to be able to provide a quick rescue, not lose precious minutes scrambling around trying to figure out what to do. Not being rescue-ready during a permit required confined space entry not only creates the potential for a serious OSHA violation, it also creates a tremendous amount of liability for the employer. That’s where SR&R Environmental’s Confined Space Rescue Team (CSRT) comes in.
Confined Space Rescue Services as Insurance
Companies all across the Southeast have come to rely on SR&R’s CSRT as their rescue standby option during confined space entry. We have dedicated crews working around the clock in power plants, petrochemical facilities, and bulk petroleum storage terminals, standing ready in case of an emergency. Our crews provide the equipment, personnel, and experience required to provide entry and non-entry rescue for a host of different situations including horizontal, vertical, and hybrid rescue scenarios. In the event of an emergency, our Team is standing by pre-rigged and ready to provide immediate access, packaging, and recovery of a patient. When every second counts, you can’t afford to take chances.
Our Solution
Every rescue situation is different, so SR&R creates customized solutions for every client under contracted or as-needed agreements. Our CSRT services begin with a site visit where we assess and familiarize ourselves with all of the relevant permit required confined spaces. Next, we’ll select equipment and rigging prior to entry to prevent any delays in the case of an actual emergency. And during entry, SR&R provides all permitting, documentation, and continuous air monitoring to ensure compliance. Each member of the team is highly trained, with experience in the following:
- Confined Space Entrant and Attendant
- High Angle/ Low Angle/ Hybrid Rescue Scenarios
- Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)
- First Aid/CPR
- HAZWOPER 40 Hr.
- Permitting and compliance
- Air monitoring
In situations with multiple simultaneous entries like scheduled outages or shutdowns, we can provide multiple teams as well as supplemental “hole watch” or attendant services as needed. SR&R is one of the few industrial service companies that can provide our own in-house CSRT services, but we also provide CSRT standby for other contractors including:
- Welders
- Tank inspectors
- Tank repair contractors
- Sandblasters/ waterblasters
- Scaffolding erectors
- Boiler repair and inspection
- Water and wastewater plant and collection line installations
- Marine Chemists
Don’t risk serious fines or even more serious injuries. Contact SR&R today for a free consultation and see how we can keep your workplace compliant and your employees and contractors safe!