CONFINED SPACE RESCUE: HAZARD AND OPERATIONS
Confined space rescues present dangers for rescuers as well as victims. Incidents involving confined spaces account for many injuries and fatalities each year. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) statistics indicate that 60 percent of all confined space fatalities are rescuers.
Examples of confined spaces include wells, silos, dikes, pits, railcars, cellars, tank trucks, manholes, utility tunnels, tanks and vessels, culverts, caves, and large-diameter pipes and ducts. The generally hostile confinedspace environment presents various hazards including low oxygen levels, toxic atmospheres and surfaces, poor visibility, unstable footing, and access/ egress difficulties. The major hazards threatening rescuers may be categorized into three groups: atmospheric/ chemical, stored energy, and physical environment hazards.
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