Rescue Procedures
Total Group develops site-specific rescue plans and procedures tailored to your operations, equipment and potential hazards. Our team conducts risk assessments, identifies rescue challenges and develops detailed procedures to support the response to identified emergencies. The work starts with how people access the work area, what could prevent them from leaving, and what responders would need to reach them.
This service supports clients planning new work or reviewing procedures for an existing operation. A change in equipment, work location or access can change the rescue requirements. Bringing those details into the planning discussion helps connect the written procedure to the work people will perform.
Developing procedures around the worksite
A site-specific rescue procedure addresses a defined location and credible emergency scenarios. For example, a worker unable to leave a confined space presents different access and equipment challenges from a worker suspended after a fall. The assessment needs to consider both the affected worker and the hazards responders could encounter.
Planning should examine openings, travel routes and obstructions, along with the location of emergency equipment. Temporary scaffolding, locked gates or changes to plant layout can affect access even when the task itself has not changed. Existing drawings and procedures are useful starting points, but the plan needs to reflect the conditions expected during the work.
The procedure should also identify conditions that require reassessment before work proceeds. A change to the task, available responders or equipment may mean the previous arrangements no longer fit. Technical decisions about entry, rescue methods and equipment suitability belong in the site-specific assessment rather than a generic procedure copied between projects.
Connecting rescue procedures to the emergency plan
Rescue procedures need to fit the site's broader emergency response plan. That connection covers how an emergency is reported, who directs the response and how responders coordinate with operations personnel. It also needs to address evacuation and the handover to first aid or emergency medical services.
For an Alberta example, OHS Code Part 7, sections 115 and 116, requires employers to establish a current emergency response plan and involve affected workers in its development. Required contents include identified emergencies, rescue and evacuation procedures, emergency equipment, communications, first aid services and designated rescue and evacuation workers.
For project planning, identify who will raise the alarm, who will make the area accessible and who will meet incoming emergency services. Confirm the communication arrangements between these roles. Where outside responders form part of the plan, discuss the assistance needed and the site's access constraints before relying on that arrangement.
Different tasks require different rescue planning
In Alberta, OHS Code Part 5, section 55, prevents entry into or continued work in a confined or restricted space unless an effective rescue can be carried out. It also requires the employer to develop and implement emergency procedures. Section 57 requires safe entry and exit for workers and attending rescue personnel. The planning discussion therefore needs to address access for a rescue, as well as access for the normal task.
For work at height, Alberta's OHS Code section 140 requires a fall protection plan where a worker may fall three metres or more and is not protected by guardrails. The plan must specify rescue procedures for a worker suspended by a personal fall arrest system or safety net who needs rescue. These are Alberta examples; the applicable requirements depend on the project's jurisdiction and work.
Making the procedure usable
Procedure development, responder training and standby coverage have different scopes. Agree who will carry out the plan and what personnel and equipment will be available during the work. Writing a procedure does not establish that those resources are ready or authorize hazardous work.
In Alberta, OHS Code section 117 requires designated rescue and evacuation workers to receive training appropriate to the site and identified emergencies, including simulated exercises. Exercise intervals must maintain competence. Plan review should consider what exercises reveal about access, communications and role clarity.
Keep the current procedure identifiable by location, task and revision. Decide who approves changes and where affected workers can find the current version. Relevant hazard assessments, equipment inspection records and training records help the site team review whether the arrangements still match the work.
Information to bring to the planning discussion
- The site location, task description, work schedule and responsible site contacts.
- Current hazard assessments, rescue procedures and emergency response arrangements.
- Drawings or photographs showing access openings, routes and expected obstructions.
- Equipment information and the personnel proposed to perform rescue duties.
- Client requirements and planned changes to the work area or operations.
Discuss your procedure development needs with Total Group using the task and location as the starting point. For the broader service overview, visit our Rescue services page.
