The Definition of Rescue Plan

Definition of Rescue Plan

A rescue plan is a written, site-specific procedure that explains how a worker will be reached, recovered and given medical care if something goes wrong during a task. It names the people responsible, the equipment they will use, how they will be alerted and how quickly they must respond.

Rescue plans are most closely associated with fall protection and confined space entry, where a worker may be suspended in a harness or trapped in a space that is hard to reach. They are also used for trenching, rope access, water work, elevated work platforms and remote lone work.

The key principle is that rescue must be planned before work begins. Calling emergency services after an incident is not a rescue plan by itself, because they may not arrive in time or may not have the equipment or training for the situation.

Regulatory Requirements

Fall protection

• General industry: 29 CFR 1910.140(c)(21) states that the employer must provide for prompt rescue of each employee in the event of a fall.
• Construction: 29 CFR 1926.502(d)(20) states that the employer shall provide for prompt rescue of employees in the event of a fall or shall assure that employees are able to rescue themselves.
• Voluntary standards: ANSI/ASSP Z359.2 includes rescue procedures as part of a managed fall protection program. See ANSI Z359 fall protection code.

Confined spaces

• 29 CFR 1910.146(k) for general industry and 29 CFR 1926.1211 for construction require employers to provide rescue and emergency services for permit-required confined spaces.
• Employers using an outside rescue service must evaluate its ability to respond in a timely manner and its proficiency with the hazards and equipment involved.
• In-house rescue teams must be trained, practice a permit space rescue at least once every 12 months, and have at least one member currently certified in first aid and CPR.
• Retrieval systems for non-entry rescue are required unless they would increase the overall risk or would not contribute to the rescue.

Emergency action plans

Where an OSHA standard requires an emergency action plan, 29 CFR 1910.38(c) requires it to include procedures to be followed by employees performing rescue or medical duties.

Why Speed Matters

OSHA's Safety and Health Information Bulletin on suspension trauma explains that a worker hanging motionless in a harness can develop orthostatic intolerance, where blood pools in the legs. This can lead to fainting and can be fatal. The bulletin cites research finding that unconsciousness while suspended can lead to death in less than 30 minutes, and it recommends rescuing suspended workers as quickly as possible. Confined space incidents involving toxic or oxygen-deficient atmospheres can be fatal even faster.

What a Rescue Plan Should Include

• Scope: the site, task and hazards covered, such as a specific roof, tank or tower.
• Rescue method: self-rescue, assisted rescue by coworkers, rescue by a trained team, or a combination. Describe the primary method and a backup.
• Roles: who raises the alarm, who performs the rescue, who calls emergency services and who meets them.
• Equipment: rescue kits, descent devices, ladders, aerial lifts, tripods and winches, and where they are stored.
• Access and anchorage: how rescuers will reach the worker and what they will anchor to.
• Communication: how the worker and rescuers will call for help, including in areas with poor cell coverage.
• Response time: the target time to reach the worker, based on the hazards.
• Medical care: first aid, CPR, handling a person after suspension, and the route to the nearest appropriate medical facility.
• Training and drills: how often rescuers practice and when the plan is reviewed.

Developing and Testing a Rescue Plan

• Include rescue in the risk assessment and job hazard analysis for the task.
• Visit the work location to check access, anchor points and obstacles.
• Choose the simplest effective method. Avoid plans that require rescuers to put themselves at the same risk as the victim without proper equipment.
• Confirm that an outside rescue service can actually reach and perform the rescue in the time needed.
• Run practice drills with the equipment the team will really use.
• Review the plan when the work, site or crew changes.

For a lone worker, a rescue plan only works if someone knows help is needed. Check-in schedules or lone worker monitoring can help trigger the response.

Example of Rescue Plan

A telecom contractor was preparing to install antennas on a 150-foot tower in a rural area, about 40 minutes from the nearest fire department with a technical rescue team. The crew's original plan was simply to call 911.

The safety manager rewrote the rescue plan. Each two-person crew would carry a preassembled rescue kit that allowed the ground worker to raise or lower a suspended climber without climbing. Both workers were trained to use it and practiced on a training tower. The plan also listed the tower's GPS coordinates and access road, required a satellite communicator because of weak cell service, and set a target of starting the rescue within minutes of a fall.

Frequently Asked Questions: Rescue Plan

Does OSHA require a written rescue plan?

OSHA's fall protection rules require prompt rescue but do not specifically say the plan must be written. Writing it down is the best way to show that rescue has been planned and to train workers on it. Confined space rescue arrangements must be documented as part of the permit space program.

Is calling 911 enough?

Usually not. Emergency services may not reach the worker quickly enough or may lack the equipment for a high-angle or confined space rescue. If you rely on an outside service, you must confirm it can respond in time and has the right skills.

What is prompt rescue?

OSHA does not set a specific time, but the rescue must happen quickly enough to prevent serious harm, including suspension trauma. The plan should aim to reach the worker as fast as reasonably possible.

Who should be trained in rescue?

Anyone assigned a rescue role, plus the workers who will use fall protection or enter confined spaces, so they understand the plan and any self-rescue steps.