Emergency Rescue From Confined Spaces SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers planning and carrying out emergency rescue from confined spaces, from confirming the rescue scope through to first aid handover and review. It supports risk management by addressing controlled entry, atmosphere assessment, isolation, retrieval and emergency response activities.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Confirm the rescue scope and account for possible casualties
• Set exclusion zones and control access around openings
• Isolate plant, services and pressure sources
• Assess the confined-space atmosphere and conditions
• Issue and maintain entry permits
• Inspect rescue, retrieval, communication and respiratory equipment
• Assign standby personnel and maintain communications
• Conduct rescue drills and control ongoing entry
• Initiate the emergency response and perform retrieval or entry rescue
• Provide first aid handover, close out the area and review the response

Who is this for?

For contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses involved in emergency rescue from confined spaces.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

The template includes references relevant to the documented work, including:

• Applicable Commonwealth, state or territory WHS/OHS legislation and regulations, including duties to manage risks, provide information, training, instruction, emergency arrangements and PPE.
• Model Code of Practice: Confined Spaces (November 2024) — guidance on confined-space risk assessment, entry permits, communication, standby monitoring, emergency procedures and external rescue.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace — guidance for isolation of connected plant and stored energy.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities — guidance for first aid and emergency planning.
• AS 2865 Safe working in a confined space — technical guidance for confined-space entry, monitoring, control and rescue planning.
• AS/NZS 1715 Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment — guidance for selection and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment.
• AS/NZS 1716 Respiratory protective devices.
• AS/NZS 1891 series Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices — guidance for harnesses, lanyards and associated equipment.
• AS/NZS 4488 series Industrial rope access systems — guidance where rope-access rescue is required.
• Model WHS Regulations Part 3.1 and Part 4.3 are model-law guidance only and must be checked against the WHS/OHS legislation applying in the relevant jurisdiction. The supplied regulations index identifies confined-space requirements including permits, signage, communication, atmosphere controls, emergency procedures, PPE, training and recordkeeping.

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Standard SWMS Features (Click to Expand)

• Task-specific job steps, hazards and control measures
• Initial and residual risk ratings
• Assigned responsible persons for each job step
• Plant, equipment and PPE requirements where applicable
• Permits, qualifications and high-risk construction work details where applicable
• Worker consultation, sign-off and review sections