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Confined Space Attendants & Rescuers

Approximately 60% of fatalities in confined spaces work are, to the untrained, ill-equipped would-be rescuers [src], not to the confined space workers themselves.

Our commitment is to prevent these fatalities by providing you with expert Attendants & Rescuers, the right equipment and the systems and processes that get your team in and out without harm.

confined spaces situation

Recognize the Hazards

Every jobsite comes with its own unique hazards, and the O. Reg 632 requires you to develop a Confined Space Entry Plan that prepares your team to recognize, prevent/mitigate and respond to these dangers.

Do you have the proper systems and processes, equipment and rescue tools on hand to adequately deal with these dangers?

Atmospheric Hazards

  • Toxic contaminates
  • Oxygen deficiency
  • Oxygen enrichment and flammable gases

Physical Hazards

  • Moving/powered machinery
  • Thermal and electrical
  • Noise, vibrations and visibility
  • Configuration issues (i.e. small entry point)

Human-caused Hazards

  • State of mind
  • Pre-existing health issues
  • Lack of planning/poor choices
  • Simultaneous tasks
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Protect Your Team

“Are you alright brother?”
Those were the last words John Hewson (31) said to his fellow labourer and friend, Robert LaPolice (26) before climbing down into the vacuum degasser tank they had been assigned to clean.

As a result of their inexperience in recognizing atmospheric hazards, both men lost their lives, costing their company a $400,000 fine and their families years of heartache. [Hamilton Spectator (Jan 22, 1998)].

Training your team is important, but being able to recognize deadly and unpredictable hazards comes with experience… the kind of experience we have at Trademark.

Tim Morrison, Trademark Safety & Rescue performing safety checks

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Confined Space Attendants do?

A 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.
What training does a ‘Confined Space Attendant’ need to perform safely and efficiently?

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!

What Equipment do I need on hand?

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.

How many Attendants/Rescuers do we need?

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.

Can we do this ourselves?

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.

What do Confined Space Attendants do?

A 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 a quick response to an incident. Without 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.
What training does a ‘Confined Space Attendant’ need to perform safely and efficiently?

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!

What equipment do I need on hand?

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 a gas monitor, blower, locks, etc.) are the tools needed to control the hazard. The retrieval equipment is based on the injuries the hazards identified could create. These tools will stabilize and/or move the casualty out of the space without causing further harm to either themselves or the Rescuers.

How many Attendants/Rescuers do I need?

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.

Can we do this ourselves?

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.

Don't leave it
to chance

Call on the Team that’s fully prepared to Plan, Prevent, Monitor, Document and Rescue.

Test Your
knowledge

Are you prepared to do this confined space entry on your own?

Question: How many people do I need to work as an Attendant or a Rescuer for a confined space?

Answer: An Attendant is a worker who is to maintain constant communication with the workers inside, monitor the worker’s safety, aid the workers inside the space and to initiate the emergency response system in the event of an incident. Usually, one person is at that is required. A helpful analogy is viewing the Attendant like a lifeguard at a swimming pool. The number of lifeguards would only have to increase if the single lifeguard could not adequately keep track of those inside pool.

Rescuers can and do vary depending on the type of retrieval that is planned for. For instance, if the worker is attached to a winch and can be pulled out from the outside without further damage, the Attendant could be the Rescuer. So, no other people are required. If it is a complicated situation, for example the worker will have to be moved long distances and/or over obstacles, at least 2 Rescuers will be needed along with the Attendant.

One last thing, a number of confined space studies conducted by the National Institute for Safety & Health (NIOSH) have concluded that poorly trained individuals usually just add to the number of those who die in confined space incidents.

If you haven’t got these people, YOU NEED US.