26.A.05 Emergency rescue plans and equipment.
- Plans for rescuing personnel who might become injured or incapacitated while underground or in a shaft or caisson must be developed.
- (1) Plans must be incorporated in either the APP or the AHA and posted at the job site.
- (2) Plans must be periodically reviewed with all affected personnel so that they maintain a working knowledge of emergency responsibilities and procedures.
- (3) Emergency plans must be drilled on a periodic basis to ensure their efficacy.
Emergency rescue vehicles are stationed at the entrance of a tunnel project.
- Emergency equipment specified in the emergency plan must be provided within 15 minutes of each portal or shaft entry. Inspections and workability tests of the equipment must be made and documented monthly.
- When a shaft is used as a means of egress, arrangements must be made for power- assisted hoisting capability to be readily available in an emergency, unless the regular hoisting means can continue to function during a power failure.
- Hoisting devices used for emergencies must be designed so that the load hoist drum is powered in both directions of rotation and so that the brake is automatically applied upon power release or failure.
- Self-rescuing/emergency respirators must be immediately available to all employees at workstations in underground areas where they may be trapped by smoke or gas. > See Section 05.G.
- At least one designated person must be on duty above ground whenever personnel are underground.
- (1) The designated person must be responsible for keeping an accurate count of employees' underground and securing immediate aid in case of emergency.
- (2) The designated person must not be given other responsibilities that could affect his emergency response duties.
- Each worker underground must have an acceptable portable hand lamp or cap lamp in his work area for emergency use, unless natural light or an emergency lighting system provides adequate illumination for escape.
26.A.06 Rescue teams.
The emergency rescue team is stationed and ready.
- On job sites where less than 25 persons are underground at one time, provisions must be made for at least one five-person rescue team to be either on the job site or within 30-minutes travel time from the underground entry point. This rescue team may be provided by local emergency response services.
- On job sites where 25 or more persons are underground at one time, provisions must be made for at least two five-person rescue teams. One rescue team must be on the job site or be within 30-minutes travel time from the underground entry point, and the other rescue team must be within 2-hours travel time. These rescue teams may be provided by local emergency response services.
- Rescue team members must be qualified in rescue procedures, the use and limitations of breathing apparatus, and the use of firefighting equipment. Qualifications must be reviewed not less than annually.
- On job sites where flammable or noxious gases are encountered or anticipated in hazardous quantities, rescue team members must practice donning and using SCBA monthly.
- Rescue teams must be kept informed of conditions at the job site with may impact their response.
26.A.07 In addition to the requirements of Section 5, personnel in wet underground areas must wear rubber boots (and rain gear, as necessary).
26.A.08 First aid facilities.
- A fully equipped first aid station and emergency transportation must be provided at each underground construction project regardless of the number of persons employed.
- If an underground construction project has multiple portals, a first aid station must be provided at each portal or entry shaft or must be so located between them that the distance from the station to each portal/entry shaft is less than 5 mi (8 km) and travel time less than 15 minutes.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
26-2. Where must a rescue team be located from the entry point on a site with less than 25 persons working underground?
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