In recent years, accidents in confined space operations have been frequent and often result in increased casualties due to improper or blind rescue efforts. In order to guide various production and operation units to scientifically and effectively respond to confined space operation accidents, the National Emergency Rescue Center for Work Safety organized the development of the "Guidelines for Safety Rescue of Limited Space Operation Accidents" in 2021 for relevant enterprises and practitioners to learn and use.
Guidelines for Safe Rescue of Accidents in Limited Space Operations
In order to guide production and operation units to prepare for emergencies in confined space operations, enhance their safety rescue capabilities in confined space operations, prevent the expansion of accident casualties due to improper or blind rescue, and ensure the safety and health of rescue personnel, this guide is formulated.
1、 Scope of application
Applicable to emergency preparedness and rescue operations for work accidents in limited spaces (also known as confined spaces or enclosed spaces) of production and operation units.
2、 Compilation basis
Work Safety Law of the People's Republic of China
Emergency Response Law of the People's Republic of China
Regulations on Emergency Response to Production Safety Accidents
Regulations on Reporting and Investigating Production Safety Accidents
Management Measures for Emergency Plans for Production Safety Accidents (Order No. 2 of the Ministry of Emergency Management)
Interim Regulations on Safety Management and Supervision of Limited Space Operations in Industrial and Commercial Enterprises (formerly Order No. 80 of the State Administration of Work Safety)
Notice of the Office of the Ministry of Emergency Management on Issuing the Emergency Preparedness Guidelines for Production Safety Accidents in Hazardous Chemical Enterprises (Emergency Department [2019] No. 62)
Notice from the Office of the Ministry of Emergency Management on Issuing the "Safety Guidance Manual for Limited Space Operations" and Four Special Series Folding Materials (Emergency Department Letter [2020] No. 299)
Notice of the General Office of the State Administration of Work Safety on Amending the Management Standards for Labor Protection Articles of Employers (Safety Supervision Department Anjian [2018] No. 3)
Guidelines for the Preparation of Emergency Plans for Production Safety Accidents in Production and Business Units (GB/T 29639-2020)
Safety Regulations for Oxygen deficient Hazardous Operations (GB8958-2006)
Specification for Selection of Personal Protective Equipment (GB/T11651-2008)
Special Operation Safety Regulations for Chemical Production Units (GB30871-2014)
3、 Emergency preparedness
（1） Daily emergency preparedness
1. Risk identification. Production and operation units shall identify the risks of confined space operations in accordance with relevant regulations and standards, determine the number, location, and hazardous factors of confined spaces, and set up clear safety warning signs and warning instructions for the identified confined spaces. The warning instructions shall include identification results, individual protection requirements, emergency response procedures, and other contents.
2. Preparation of contingency plans. Based on the risk identification results, the production and operation unit shall organize the preparation of its own emergency plan or on-site disposal plan (emergency disposal card) for confined space operation accidents, or incorporate the special emergency plan for confined space operation accidents into its comprehensive emergency plan, clarify personnel responsibilities, determine the emergency disposal process for accidents, and implement rescue equipment and related internal and external emergency resources. The emergency plan shall be linked with the emergency plans of relevant departments and units, and shall be reviewed or demonstrated in accordance with relevant regulations and standards.
3. Emergency drills. Production and operation units will include emergency drills for confined space work accidents in their emergency drill plans, organize desktop simulations, on-site practical exercises, and other forms of drills to improve their emergency rescue capabilities for confined space work accidents. After the emergency drill, evaluate the effectiveness of the drill, write an evaluation report, analyze the existing problems, propose improvement measures, revise and improve the emergency plan or on-site disposal plan (emergency disposal card).
4. Equipment configuration. Production and operation units shall equip themselves with emergency rescue equipment that complies with national laws, regulations, standards, and specifications, such as portable gas detection and alarm devices, positive pressure air respirators, safety belts, safety ropes, and medical emergency equipment, in response to hazardous and harmful factors and operational risks in their limited spaces. They shall establish management systems to strengthen maintenance and management, ensuring that the equipment is in good and reliable condition.
5. Education and training. Production and operation units will include safety rescue knowledge and skills training for confined space operation accidents in their own safety production education and training plans. They will regularly conduct targeted education and training on confined space operation risks, safety rescue knowledge, emergency rescue equipment use, and emergency rescue skills to ensure that the responsible persons, supervisors, operators, and rescue personnel at the confined space operation site understand and master the hazardous and harmful factors of confined space operation, safety prevention measures, emergency rescue equipment use, emergency response measures, etc.
（2） Emergency preparedness before homework
1. Clarify emergency response measures. Production and operation units shall evaluate the working environment, detect and analyze the existing hazardous and harmful factors, clarify the emergency response measures for this confined space operation, and incorporate them into the operation plan to ensure that the person in charge of the operation site, supervisors, operators, and rescue personnel understand the hazardous and harmful factors and emergency response measures for this confined space operation.
2. Determine the contact signal. The person in charge of the work site, together with the supervisors, operators, and rescue personnel, shall clarify one or more signals such as sound, light, and gestures as safety, alarm, evacuation, and support communication signals based on the limited space work environment. If conditions permit, instant messaging devices that meet current job safety requirements, such as explosion-proof intercoms, can be used.
3. Check the equipment. Based on the limited space identification situation, rescue personnel should correctly select emergency rescue equipment and check to ensure that it is in good and usable condition before operation. If any problems are found with emergency rescue equipment, they should be repaired or replaced immediately.
4、 Rescue implementation
（1） Information Report
After the accident, the person in charge and supervisors at the work site immediately stopped the operation, understood the status of the trapped personnel, organized safety rescue, and prohibited untrained and non wearing personal protective equipment personnel from entering the confined space for rescue. The person in charge of the homework site shall promptly report the accident situation to the unit, and if necessary, call "119" or "120" to report to the police or seek help from other professional rescue forces. The person in charge of the unit shall report the accident information in accordance with relevant regulations.
（2） Accident alert
The person in charge and supervisors at the work site shall set up warning areas (including ventilation and exhaust outlets) according to rescue needs, set up clear warning signs, and strictly prohibit unrelated personnel and vehicles from entering the warning areas.
（3） Rescue protection
1. Personal protection. Rescue personnel must wear personal protective equipment correctly to carry out rescue operations.
2. Safety isolation. Reliable isolation (partition) measures should be taken for equipment and facilities, toxic and harmful substance inputs, electrical energy, high-temperature materials, and other hazardous energy inputs that may endanger the safety of rescue personnel in a limited space.
3. Continuous ventilation. Use mechanical ventilation equipment to deliver clean air into a confined space, with ventilation outlets located away from the work area until the rescue operation is completed. When there are flammable and explosive gases or dust in a confined space, use explosion-proof ventilation equipment; When containing toxic and harmful gases, effective isolation and protection measures should be taken at the ventilation discharge outlet.
（4） Rescue operation
After the accident, the trapped individuals actively carried out self rescue and mutual assistance, cooperated with rescue personnel to carry out rescue operations, and took emergency rescue actions based on the location, physical condition, and personal protective equipment worn by the trapped individuals.
1. Non intrusive rescue. If the location, physical condition, and wearing of personal protective equipment of the trapped person meet the conditions for direct rescue from outside the limited space, rescue personnel will quickly remove the trapped person from the outside through safety ropes and other equipment.
2. Entry style rescue. If the location, physical condition, and wearing of personal protective equipment of the trapped personnel do not meet the conditions for direct rescue from outside the limited space, rescue personnel shall enter the interior for rescue.
（5） Stay in touch
During the process of carrying out rescue operations in a confined space, rescue personnel should effectively communicate with external personnel according to the predetermined contact signals and maintain smooth communication.
（6） Rotating rescue operations
When rescue personnel enter a confined space to carry out rescue operations for a long period of time, rotation rescue should be implemented to ensure that the rescue personnel have sufficient physical strength and can continue to carry out rescue operations.
（7） Evacuate hazardous areas
In the event of a situation that may endanger the safety of rescue personnel, rescue personnel shall immediately evacuate the dangerous area and enter the confined space for rescue only when safety conditions are met.
（8） Medical rescue
After the trapped personnel are rescued, they should be immediately moved to a well ventilated area. Personnel with medical rescue qualifications or skills should take correct pre hospital medical rescue measures in a timely manner and be promptly sent to the hospital for treatment.
（9） Cleaning up the site and other follow-up work
After the rescue operation is basically completed, promptly count and verify the on-site personnel and equipment, clean up the residual toxic and harmful substances at the accident site, and protect the accident site as much as possible for subsequent accident investigation and rescue evaluation. If necessary, conduct environmental inspections and personnel and equipment decontamination at the accident site, and conduct health checks on personnel involved in rescue operations.
Production and business units refer to this guide and develop safety rescue operation procedures for confined space operation accidents based on actual conditions.
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