If your company works in an industry where the crew enters confined spaces such as mines, wells, or trenches, then rescue training is essential. Accidents happen when least expected, or an employee could have a medical crisis that's unrelated to the job. A well-trained staff keeps problems from escalating out of control and training ensures proper medical care is given promptly to those in need. Here are some different types of training your crew may need to undergo when it comes to confined space rescue.
Basic Rescue Training
Basic training in confined space rescue can be done in a classroom for the members of your rescue team and those who work in the confined spaces. The classes teach about testing atmospheric conditions in the space, learning about hazards that can develop, understanding how to use protective equipment, and learning how to transport an injured or sick person.
This knowledge helps a rescue leader respond appropriately to keep a crew or individual safe when trapped. Although much of this work is done in a classroom, the crew gets hands-on skills when it comes to learning about protective and transfer equipment. They'll learn how to apply a respirator properly, how to tie knots, and how to secure a person to a stretcher.
Advanced Rescue Training
More advanced training takes place on the actual job site where the team practices using the equipment and rescues someone from a well or other tight area. An instructor may act like an injured individual or someone who's had a heart attack, and the rescue team goes through the steps of assessing the situation, testing the area for safety, and pulling the instructor out of the confined space. Different scenarios are practiced so the team has experience in handling different situations.
Rescue First Aid
A select group of your crew may learn about emergency first aid. This involves learning how to use a defibrillator and do CPR. Having an employee trained in first aid near the confined space ensures someone with a medical emergency gets quick care when they might be shut off from the world above. Knowing how to stop bleeding, stabilize a broken bone, and deal with an unconscious person is important when the work involves dangerous equipment. It's also important to know how to pull an injured or unconscious person out of a confined space and return them to the surface without causing further injury.
First Responder Training
Any employee can learn basic first aid, but you may also have a team of first responders in your company that undergo more extensive training. This might be a nurse, firefighter, or emergency medical technician. In addition to skills they already have for saving lives, these first responders can be trained to work in a confined space. In addition to learning advanced life-saving procedures, they'll also need to learn basic safety procedures for entering and exiting a confined space and the dangers posed for them and the injured person in a tight space with little room for movement and poor air quality.
Your confined space rescue team has a number of jobs to perform. The top priority is the safety and evacuation of people. However, a crew is also necessary for assessing the cause of the problem that caused the emergency and fixing it if necessary so the rescue team can work safely. For more information, contact a local rescue training company like Elite Technical Services Group.
Share7 June 2018
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