Spring Fire Department Confined Space & Trench Rescue Operations PDF

**[PURPOSE]** This procedure is to establish guidelines for response of Spring Fire Department personnel and equipment to incidents involving a confined space or trench incident requiring entry. **[SCOPE]** This policy pertains to all Spring Fire Department personnel and shall be adhered to. **[...

**[PURPOSE]** This procedure is to establish guidelines for response of Spring Fire Department personnel and equipment to incidents involving a confined space or trench incident requiring entry. **[SCOPE]** This policy pertains to all Spring Fire Department personnel and shall be adhered to. **[RESPONSIBILITY]** All Spring Fire Department personnel are responsible for knowing and complying with this guideline. Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 29, Part 1910.146, "Permit Required Confined Spaces for General Industry minimum standards" will be the primary guideline. All personnel not properly trained or properly equipped to perform an Emergency Entry Rescue Operation shall not enter a confined space. **[REVIEW]** The Fire Chief or designee is responsible for reviewing this guideline annually and assuring its accuracy. **[REFERENCES]** NFPA 1670 - *Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents* NFPA 1858 - *Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Life Safety Rope and Equipment for Emergency Services* NFPA 1983 - *Standard on Life Safety Rope and Equipment for Emergency Services.* OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146 -- *Permit Required Confined Spaces for General Industry Minimum Standards.* **[DEFINITIONS]** Incident Commander -- The individual who is responsible for management of all incident operations. Safety Officer -- The individual designated by the Incident Commander responsible for overseeing safety related functions during the event. Rescue/Extrication Officer - A trained and qualified Rescue Team member in charge of all rescue operations within the Hot Zone. This assignment shall be the responsibility of the Technical Rescue Team Captain or delegated to an arriving competent person. Benching -- The formation of a series chronological levels or steps conducted by responders to stabilize trench walls to reduce the risk of collapse. A/O -- Apparatus Operator Hot Zone - An area around the incident usually a minimum of 100 feet in all directions, which can be extended if necessary. The Technical Rescue Team, Hazardous Materials Responders, and any other essential personnel shall occupy this area. Cold Zone -- All areas, usually within 100 feet of the warm zone, in which Command, Support, Resource, Rehab, and non-essential firefighters are contained. The news media and other non-essential outside agencies shall be staged outside the Cold Zone. Competent Person -- An on-site person who may be a supervisor, contractor, or worker who is in-charge or familiar with all operations at the incident site. Rescue Rope -- 300 or 400 ft section x ½ inch static kernmantle constructed rope to be used for emergency rescues only. Confined Space Entry - Whenever any part of a member's body breaks the imaginary plane of an opening within an enclosure that has limited ingress or egress points and is not suitable for human inhabitants. Confined Space -- Any space having a limited means of egress, not designated for prolonged worker occupancy, and in which a dangerous air contamination or oxygen deficient atmosphere can result from the accumulation of hazardous dust, mists, gases, or vapors, which cannot be removed by natural ventilation. In addition, any enclosure which presents the potential for engulfment of workers by the product. Examples of Confined Spaces: +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | - Below Grade Basements | - Sewer Systems | +===================================+===================================+ | - Brewers Vats or tanks | - Cargo Holds | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | - Collapsed Structures | - Silos | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | - Deep Street Excavations | - Tank Cars | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | - Furnaces/Boilers | - Trenches/Excavations | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | - Industrial Stacks | - Tunnels | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | - Manholes | - Utility Vaults | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ Excavation - Any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in the earth\'s surface formed by the removal of earth. Fissure - Large crack in the earth, either horizontal or vertical, that is symbolic of the movement of unstable ground in and around the excavation. Ground Pad - A 2' x 4\' sheet of 3/4 \" thick plywood to be laid at the trench lip to disperse the weight of rescuers. Sloping -- The cut back or angling the side of a trench to reduce the risk of collapse. Spoil Pile - Soil removed during excavation that is piled along the trench wall. This is the primary cause of initial and subsequent cave-in if placed too close to the trench lip. Surcharge-- Any type of excess weight that may be added to the trench lip, including rescuers. Trench-- An excavation of earth that is deeper than its width but less than 15 feet wide. Trench Box or Shields - A protective device, usually a large metal box that is placed within the trench to provide a safe work environment to on-site workers. The Trench Box does not prevent trench wall collapse. Trench Collapse Types: - Belly in or Wall Slough - Large masses of soil falling from the sides of a trench leaving a large overhang. (Very dangerous to rescuers) - Lip Slide - Most common type of collapse usually caused by the spoil pile too close to the edge. - Side Wall Shear - An entire wall of a trench shears away from the side. - Toe Slough - The bottom wall of the trench kicks into the floor of the trench. A wall slough usually follows this event. (Very dangerous to rescuers) Tunnel - Any above or below-grade enclosure having a vertical and/or horizontal shaft. Warm Zone - All areas usually within 100 feet of the Hot Zone in which Back-Up, Decon, and Access are contained. This area may be extended if necessary. Recovery Mode - If evidence indicates that the potential is low for a viable, savable victim(s), the operation is a **body recovery**. This does not require any immediate action. Safety guidelines **will** be followed to reduce any risks with safety of responders being priority. Rescue Mode - A very high probability that a viable patient (biological death has not occurred) **exists** and actions are required to safely extricate the victim(s). Action is indicated, but all safety guidelines **shall** be followed to protect the rescuer and provide the highest probability of success. A. **[RESPONSIBILITIES ]** Dispatch (North Comm) - Will ascertain from the caller as much about the incident as possible, specifically if the victim is inside a confined space as defined above. - Will dispatch the following units (Apparatus CAD identifiers in parentheses) -- - District 70 (D70) - 1 Engine (Closest available) - Tower 70 (TW70) - Rescue 71 (R71) - Technical Rescue Trailer 71 / Squad 71 (TRT71 / SQ71) - Woodlands FD Rescue 106 (WDR106) - Houston FD Heavy Rescue 11 (HHR11) - Harris County Haz-Mat - HCESD 11 Medic Unit - HCESD 11 Supervisor - Need to confirm Dispatch Units First responders and/or EMS units: - Will attempt to determine if the response will be a rescue or recovery. - Will make contact with location management to determine location of victim(s) and determine if additional resources are needed. - Will notify the North Comm with request for appropriate equipment. - Will establish Incident Command until arrival of a District Chief or higher rank chief officer. - Will establish initial hot and cold zones. Incident Commander: - Shall direct and coordinate all emergency services and outside agencies during the incident. - Will provide a brief narrative report before the end of his or her scheduled workday with details of the incident to the Deputy Chief of Operations. The narrative shall explain the nature of the emergency and the manner in which the emergency was resolved. First Arriving Captain: - Shall direct their crew in accordance with this guideline to ensure scene safety and preparation for the arrival of Technical Rescue personnel. Rescue/Extrication Officer: - - - - - - - - A. 1. Safety Officer: - - - B. 2. Rescue Firefighters: - Members of the Technical Rescue Team who are responsible for executing the incident action plan and conducting the rescue or recovery under the direction of the Incident Commander and Rescue/Extrication Officer. Support Firefighters - Members of responding apparatus who are not trained in Technical Rescue. These members will be utilized in a support role such as access control, rehab, or related tasks as designated by the IC and or Rescue/Extrication Officer. **[GUIDELINES]** [Scene Management and Operations Considerations] Scene Management - The Incident Command System will be established at the beginning of every confined space rescue incident. - The Incident commander and Technical Rescue personnel shall make every effort to consult and coordinate incident activities with qualified persons, contractors, safety engineers that the best overall decision is made to resolve the incident. - Before any rescue operations begin, a victim survival profile shall be completed to determine the risk/benefit of entry. - Before confined space or trench entry occurs, the following tasks shall be established: - Incident command is established - A rescue/extrication officer is appointed - An entry team is established - A back up/RIT team is established - A Safety officer is appointed - An incident action plan is created and discussed with all rescue/standby teams. - Establish a resource pool of fresh, trained and equipped responders capable of providing relief and assistance to those completing the rescue. Extreme weather should dictate the resource level to be maintained. - The Incident Commander or Rescue/Extrication officer will designate a member who will be responsible for monitoring the atmosphere prior to initial entry and on an ongoing basis. Atmospheric Monitoring shall be documented on the confined space tactical worksheet. This task may be completed by Technical Rescue Team or HC Hazmat Personnel. - For incidents involving toxic or combustible atmospheres, the following items shall be adhered with: - No underground entry of any type shall be allowed until it can be determined that a toxic/combustible atmosphere does not exist. - If a toxic/combustible atmosphere does exist, proper and adequate ventilation must be initiated prior to entry. - Only Technical Rescue Team members trained and certified in the use of Supplied Air Respirators (S.A.R.) shall be allowed to enter a confined space where a potential for a hazardous atmosphere exists. - A formal rehabilitation area shall be designated and set up as delegated by the IC. HCESD 11 shall be requested to provide monitoring of medical and physical conditions of personnel as they pass through rehab. - Access to the hot zone shall be controlled at all times. A support firefighter, or designated responder will be responsible for recording the names of all personnel entering and exiting the hot zone. - The IC shall request that law enforcement establish police lines, maintain routes of egress, direct traffic, and ensure that unauthorized persons are not permitted in the cold zone. Confined Space Responses - The first arriving unit will establish Incident Command and size-up the situation. - Determine the nature of the incident and report nature to responding companies. Attempt to determine the number of patients, patient(s) condition, and severity of injuries. - Identify potential hazards such as traffic, downed wires, exposed utilities, and spectators. Request North Comm to dispatch utility representatives to the location if needed. - Hot zone around the site/work area. Do not permit entry by non-essential parties within the Hot Zone. - Locate and secure the job site supervisor or other company representative on the scene. Request that this person remain at the command post. - Determine the type of confined space and attempt to obtain the confined space entry permit from the local site management. The confined space entry permit will assist responders in identifying: - The hazards within the space. - The number of victims - Supervisor or competent person on site - Type of work being performed - Atmospheric testing pre and post work - Hazard controls taken by the company such as: - Ventilation - Lock out/Tag Out - Purging - Inerting - Determine the number of entry points and locations. - Determine number of patients, the location of the patients, and the time they entered the space. - Attempt to obtain blueprints, maps, or related details of the site. If none are available, ask a site representative to draw a sketch of the space. - If a victim was possibly exposed to a hazardous material, obtain the Safety Data Sheet for the relevant chemicals that could be present. - Ensure fire control measures are in place if needed. - Conduct air monitoring within the hot zone and within the confined space. Provide ventilation within the hot zone as needed. Do not assume the atmosphere is safe until air gas monitoring has been conducted. - Remove or restrict all ignition sources within the hot zone, this includes radios, telephones, and cameras. Fire department radios should be restricted from the hot zone until the atmosphere can be deemed safe. - A confined space tactical worksheet (appendix) shall be completed. The worksheet will be filled out by a designee of the IC or Rescue/Extrication Officer. - Trench Rescue - When dispatched to a trench rescue, the first arriving officer shall complete a scene size up and attempt to determine the time of collapse, type of the collapse, and number of victims. - Stabilization of the surface area around the trench and gathering information is the most important duty of the initial arriving companies. - Extreme care should be exercised when approaching the trench. Members should approach the trench from the ends. - Secondary collapse is usually imminent. Members shall not enter or attempt to enter a non-shored/stabilized trench at any time. - If available, place ground pads along the edge of the trench to disperse the weight of personnel. Ground pads should be placed at the ends of the trench first. Once placed, members should not step off the ground pads. - Hand tools should be used to move the spoil pile back at least 2-4 ft from the edge of the trench, working on the side of the spoil pile furthest from the trench opening working towards the trench lip. - Non-essential personnel should stay away from the trench edge and lip of the trench. - Trench shoring equipment shall be installed by trained members of the Technical Rescue team or by trained mutual aid responders (HFD Rescue or WFD Rescue). - Access to the trench shall not occur before the trench is shored either via temporary/emergency shoring, in the event of a rescue, or until fin forms, speed shore or paratech type shoring can be placed. - Excavation to gain victim access should be done by hand or via the use of hand tools. No power equipment or heavy mechanical equipment should be used without the consent of the IC, Safety Officer, and Rescue/Extrication Officer. - Patient care should begin as soon as the trench is shored & victim access is made. - The victim should not be "pulled out", dirt or debris must be removed from around the victim before an attempt can be made to remove the victim. - Upon removal, all care shall be transferred to the responding EMS unit. [Termination of the Incident] - Ensure personnel accountability. - Decontaminate all contaminated tools and equipment before replacing on apparatus. - Secure confined space before releasing scene to the proper authorities. - Document and report any missing, damage, and/or destroyed equipment to the quartermaster for replacement. - Submit all forms and documentation from the scene to the Incident Commander for reporting purposes. **[HAND SIGNAL COMMANDS]** Where the use of portable radios is not possible, the following hand signals are to be used: **Hand Signals** One Hand extended above head Distress, Need Assistance ------------------------------------- ------------------------------ One Hand on Head Okay Point left/right/up/down Move left, right, up or down Both arms crossed above head Stop Both arms crossed in front of chest Need Medical Kit and Help **[SAFETY]** 1. All members involved in Rescue functions will utilize SFD owned equipment all times. Members located in elevated positions shall don wear a department issued harness and be tied off to a fixed shock proof anchor point when working within 3 ft. of the edge of a building, hole, trench, or related elevated area. 2. Members should not wear bunker gear or related department issued firefighting PPE while working in a confined space or trench if at all possible. Members may wear station uniforms or jumpsuit with duty boots or structural firefighting boots during rescue operations. A department issued firefighting helmet or rescue helmet is also necessary. 3. No untrained personnel will be permitted operate any lowering, hauling, shoring, or safety system. Support or untrained members are permitted to assist in the handling of equipment or related functions as directed by the Incident Commander or Rescue/Extrication Officer. 4. All motion orders (lower, raise, stop, etc.) will be given by the Incident Commander, Rescue/Extrication Officer or specific designee. Any member identifying a safety hazard shall notify the IC, Safety Officer or shout "Stop" if such a situation arises. 5. Required PPE for all members operating at the scene will be a minimum of helmet, eye protection and gloves. 6. Integrity of all knots and safety knots will be continually checked throughout rescue as needed. Personnel shall not work under a suspended Stokes basket load. 7. Ladder/towers are not to be deployed in winds greater than **35 MPH.** 8. Any drops of metal hardware over **three feet** will require that equipment to be removed from service, tagged **"DROPPED"**, and turned in to the Quartermaster. Metal fatigue due to drops over three feet can lead to catastrophic failure under load. 9. Not all trench incidents are cave-ins. Injured workers can be found within a trench that has not caved in. 10. **Rescuers and EMS personnel must use extreme caution any time they need to enter a trench over 4-feet deep**. **They shall not enter a trench that is over 5- feet deep, unless it is properly shored, shielded, sloped, or benched.** Also, there must be a good atmosphere and at least one ladder for egress every 25 feet. **[EMERGENCY OPERATIONS]** First arriving officer shall perform a size up of the situation. - Gather Information, to include number of patients, location of patients etc. - Assess immediate and potential hazards to SFD personnel - Assess the need for additional resources - Determine if the situation is a rescue or recovery - Keep non-essential personnel out of the hazard zone - Keep civilians out of the hazard zone All confined space and trench rescue operations will follow department incident command procedures and will include the following identified command/operations positions: - Incident Commander - Safety Officer - Rescue/Extrication Officer - Rescue trained members for rescue and safety team functions if needed. Operations shall not begin until appropriate personnel are on location and an incident action plan is discussed with all onsite personnel. The incident commander is the ultimate responsible party for the scene; however, the Rescue/Extrication officer is in command of all placements of shoring equipment, setting of shoring struts, excavation, raising, lowering, and safety functions from the time that rescuers are in the hot zone until operations have been completed. Operations should be conducted with as little risk to the SFD personnel as possible, this may not always be the case, but should be considered. When needed, Special Operations Team personnel from SFD or mutual aid companies should be used for critical command & operational positions. Evacuated victims shall be removed in the safest manner possible. Once on the ground or safe location, evacuated persons shall be medically evaluated and transported by EMS if necessary. Evacuee names, date of birth and addresses should be obtained if possible. If an event is extended, could be considered "High Profile" or otherwise attract media attention, the Incident Commander shall designate a specific media operations area. The Incident Commander or Public Information Officer should provide regular media updates if necessary. **[EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE]** Personnel assigned to Station 71 will be responsible for completing weekly and monthly maintenance for confined space and trench rescue equipment. Documented weekly inspections will be completed on each Tuesday in conjunction with apparatus day functions. Inspection and operations testing will include the following minimum items: 1. Visual inspection and documentation of all S.A.R, trench shoring struts, pumps, rope systems, ventilation equipment and related items. Any damaged equipment is to be removed from service and SFD Quartermasters notified. 2. Reference manufacturers recommendation for replacement of equipment based on age or as noted in the applicable NFPA Standard.