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TRANSCRIPT
Confined Space & Trench Rescues
Garrett WienckowskiOrange County Fire & Rescue
Confined Space & Trench Rescues
Objectives
Provide a general understanding of what constitutes a trench and a confined space
Provide a general overview of the problems encountered by emergency responders during these incidents
Explain how Orange County Fire Rescue’s technical rescue team conducts emergency operations to prevent further loss of life and complete rescues
Familiarize you with the equipment Orange County Fire Rescue Special Operations utilizes to effect these operations
Confined Space Overview
A space that: Is large enough and so configured that an employee can enter bodily
and perform work;Has limited or restricted means of entry or exit; Is not designed for continuous human occupancy.
Examples of Confined Spaces
Tanks Manholes Boilers Furnaces Sewers Silos Hoppers
VaultsPipesTrenchesTunnelsDuctsBinsPits
Potential Hazards in Confined Spaces
Oxygen Deficiency <19.5% or >23.5% oxygen
concentration
Combustibles Methane Hydrogen Acetylene Propane Gasoline fumes
Toxic Materials Carbon Monoxide Hydrogen Sulfide Welding fumes Corrosives
Electricity Mechanical Hazards
Mixers Crushers
Permitted Spaces
Problems encounteredMore than one victim Bystander interference Lack of accountability Unsecured utilities Hazardous atmospheres Lack of access for personnel and equipment Line management Limited supply of air Actions cause reactions (ventilation – where does hazardous atmosphere
go?) Limited space to operate in
Rescuer objectives
Prevent any further damage or injuriesControl sceneRescue all victimsRemove hazardsRemove our rescuers from harm
The safety procedures you must follow in the private sector are the same procedures we must follow as rescuers.
Trench Overview OSHA defines a trench as an excavation which is deeper and longer than it
is wide and is less than 15 feet wide at the bottom. National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) estimates that
excavation cave-ins cause about 1,000 work-related accidents per year including 140 that result in permanent disability and 75 that result in death.
Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requires a work safety plan for any trench that is more than 5 feet deep.
70% of all contractors fail to have such a plan in place.
Potential Hazards in Trenches
Oxygen Deficiency <19.5% or >23.5% oxygen
concentration
Combustibles Methane Hydrogen Acetylene Propane Gasoline fumes
Toxic Materials Carbon Monoxide Hydrogen Sulfide Welding fumes Corrosives
Electricity Mechanical Hazards
Mixers Crushers
Problems encountered
BystandersTimeWeather and soil typeUnsecured or damaged utilitiesManpower intensiveSecondary collapsesVibrationsLocation and position of victim(s)Access
Rescuer objectives
Prevent any further damage or injuries
Control sceneRescue all victimsRemove hazardsRemove our rescuers from harm
The safety procedures you must follow in the private sector are the same procedures we must follow as rescuers.
Equipment
Atmospheric monitorsOxygen levelExplosive limitsHydrogen SulfideCarbon Monoxide
Equipment
Ventilation FansElectric onlyProduce enough cfm to
ventilate space 4 times in an hourCan decrease output by 40%
with 2 or more bends in ductwork
Equipment
Ladders
Ropes
Equipment
Tripod with accessoriesSKED
Equipment
Air cart or manifoldMax 300’ airline per rescuerCan use SCBABring spare air line or SCBA
with mask for patient
Escape Pack5-10 min emergency airHas ability to connect to hardline
Equipment
CommunicationsHardlineReliableAdds to line management
problem
RadioNot reliableWireless
Equipment
Water Pump
Equipment Uprights or Strongbacks are wooden planks,
typically 2” x 12”x 12’, that are used in conjunction with sheeting to distribute the shear forces being generated within the open trench over a wider area
Bolted to the sheeting to make a pre-fabricated“panel assembly”
Construction of these panel assemblies involves placing a 2”x 12”x12’ on top of a 4’x 8’ sheet of Finform or double stacked ¾” plywood and bolting them together with three ¾” x 3½” machine bolts, nuts and washers
Equipment
Trench BoxesPre-engineered
Equipment
ShoresTimber Shores 4x4’s, 4x6’s, 6x6’s
Pneumatic Shores
Hydraulic Shores
Equipment
Spinal Lifting HarnessExtrication harnessCapable of vertical lifts for
patients with cervical spine injuriesOptional equipment
• Helmet harness• Spreader bar
Summary
Confined Spaces and Trench Rescuesshare very similar challenges
You may not have a clear cut scenarioOrange County Fire Rescue trains
constantly for that “Good MorningAmerica” call
Stay Safe and Use Common Sense
Credits
• Battalion Chief Dave Hollenbach III, Special Ops• Battalion Chief Jon Haskett, Special Ops• Lieutenant Steven Elliott, Special Ops• Lieutenant Garrett Wienckowski, Special Ops• Firefighter Rick Gunter, Special Ops• Firefighter Ronny Gorzon, Special Ops