Questions and Answers
What is the primary characteristic of a confined space?
Which factor significantly contributes to confined space fatalities?
Which of the following is NOT considered a confined space killer?
How many preventable confined space fatalities occur annually?
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What should rescuers NOT attempt to determine in a confined space emergency?
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What percentage of confined space fatalities are attributed to rescuer actions?
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Which of the following best defines a permit-required confined space?
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What should TFD companies be trained to operate at during confined space emergencies?
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Which of the following pieces of information should be gathered when assessing a scene upon arrival?
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What is the distance for establishing the Warm Zone from the Hot Zone?
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Which question is NOT recommended to be asked during the assessment on arrival?
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What is the correct order of the established zones surrounding the collapse?
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Which of the following best describes the purpose of establishing a Hot Zone?
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What is the estimated annual range of fatalities caused by cave-ins in the United States?
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Which of the following conditions could disturb the temporary stability of soil during a trench operation?
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What is the primary reason for fatalities among personnel during trench rescues?
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What is defined as a trench?
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What should all TFD companies be trained to do at trench incidents?
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What must be ensured before personnel can enter a trench or excavation?
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Which factor is NOT considered a primary hazard during trench rescue operations?
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What is the minimum depth requirement for an excavation to be classified as such?
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What is the primary purpose of gathering information from the reporting party or witnesses in a confined space incident?
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Which of the following details is NOT necessary to gather from witnesses or the reporting party during a confined space rescue?
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In the absence of witnesses, what action must the Incident Commander (IC) take?
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What guideline level do operations involving entry into confined spaces fall under?
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Which of the following questions is essential to ask regarding the victims in a confined space?
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Study Notes
Confined Space Rescue
- There are approximately 67 preventable confined space fatalities annually, with 60% of them being would-be rescuers associated with secondary entries, including 39 professional rescuers.
- Confined space "killers" include complacency, safety shortcuts, and misplaced compassion.
- All TFD companies operate at the awareness functional level at confined space emergencies, and the TFD Rescue Task Force and Hazmat are dispatched to incidents involving bodily entering a confined space.
- A confined space is an enclosed area with limited or restricted means for entry or exit, and not designed for continuous employee occupancy.
- Permit-required confined spaces have hazardous atmospheres, materials that can engulf entrants, or internal configurations that can trap or asphyxiate entrants.
Tactical Considerations
- Information gathering is crucial, including known and potential hazards, number of victims, injuries, and duration of entrapment, type of confined space, and availability of an entry permit.
Trench Rescue
- Cave-ins in the United States result in 60-100 fatalities and 5,000 serious injuries annually, with 60% of fatalities being would-be rescuers.
- Trench rescue operations are dangerous and require special considerations, including proper shoring, hand tools, earth-moving equipment, and specialized resources.
- The TFD policy is to not allow entry into any trench or excavation without proper and approved techniques.
- Cave-ins occur due to unstable soil conditions and improper or inadequate shoring, and personnel must be aware of potential hazards, including additional collapse.
Definitions
- A trench is a narrow excavation made below the surface of the ground, with a depth greater than width, and a width of less than 15 feet.
- An excavation is any depression, hole, earth wall, or trench, man-made or natural, of four feet or greater in depth.
Tactical Considerations for Trench Rescue
- Assessment on arrival involves gathering information from reporting parties or witnesses, including accounting for workers, number of victims, victim condition, and work being done.
- Scene control involves establishing zones, including a Hot Zone (100 feet in diameter from the collapse), Warm Zone (100 feet beyond the Hot Zone), and Crowd Control Line (100 feet beyond the Warm Zone).
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Description
Learn about the importance of following emergency operating guidelines for confined space rescue, including the risks of would-be rescuers and common mistakes to avoid.
