Confined Space Attendants & Rescuers

‘Confined Space Attendant’ (a.k.a. ‘Guard’ or ‘Spotter’) is required by Ontario Regulation 632 to be on site whenever a worker enters a confined space. Our ‘Confined Space Attendants and Rescuers’ play a critical and proactive role in ensuring safety within confined spaces. Here's what enables us to do this:

• Hazard Assessment: We start by conducting a thorough Hazard Assessment to identify potential risks. This Assessment guides our Attendants' selection of appropriate safety equipment and procedures to follow that reduce both the probability and severity of an incident.
• Maintain Communication: Our Attendant with our equipment can maintain constant communication with the worker. This helps them both psychological by reducing the fear factor of being alone in a hazardous area, but can also improve productivity as they can relay information quickly to those outside the space.
• Provide Aid: Whether it be a fire watch situation, a barrier to unauthorized entry, or a temporary hand moving an item into or out of the space, our Attendant is there to help get the job done safely and efficiently
• Implement the Emergency Response Plan: The presence of our Attendant/Rescuer enables to quick response to an incident. With out specialized tools we are able to extract an injured worker from any confined space without causing further harm to either the worker or the Rescuer.

Trademark’s professional Attendants/Rescuers have over 300 hours of in class and job training covering all aspects of hazard awareness and hazard control techniques, safe extraction (if required) and post-extraction emergency protocols. Remember, lives are at stake!

To start, you need a competent person to determine the hazards and the injuries these hazards (either actually or potentially there) could cause. Once this is determined, the equipment list becomes more obvious. The equipment needed such as gas monitor, blower, locks, etc.) are the tools needed to control the hazard. If the hazard doesn’t or won’t exist. The retrieval equipment is based on the injuries the hazards identified could create. These tools will stabilise and/or move the casualty out of the space without causing further harm to either themselves or the Rescuers.

You must have an Attendant and people trained and available for immediate implementation if an emergency was to occur. The number is dependant on the hazards, work area configuration, the task being performed and what resources are outside the space. You could need only a single person or you may need more people are required. Contact us to get help assessing your unique situation.

You are legally obligated to have an Attendant and Rescuer in place before entering a confined space. Often safety systems were never created with confined space work areas in mind. So, whoever you have in this role, it’s important that they can expertly identify possible hazards, know how to best control these hazards as well as have the equipment to do so. And finally, be prepared and equipped to perform skills not provided in a typical first aid course during an emergency.

If you’re reading this, you may already know that the job you have at hand warrants professionals beyond your company’s capabilities.  If so, please call us.