Why rescue is the highest-risk leg
Roughly 60% of confined-space fatalities in OSHA investigations are would-be rescuers who entered without proper equipment, training, or atmospheric verification. The rescue plan is the one document that stops that pattern.
This article gives you the plan structure. For the permit itself and how the plan attaches to it, see our [confined space entry permits](/resources/confined-space-entry-permits) pillar.
The rescue-service evaluation (§1910.146(k)(1))
Evaluate prospective rescue services against (a) their ability to respond in a timely manner given the hazards identified, and (b) their proficiency with rescue-related tasks and equipment. Document the evaluation — undocumented reliance on 'the local fire department' is not compliant on its face.
'Timely' is defined by the hazards. For an IDLH atmosphere, timely is 4 minutes — the survival window for irreversible brain damage. For non-IDLH entries, timely may be longer but still needs a specific number in your plan.
In-house vs off-site rescue
In-house teams give you response time control but require standing training, equipment maintenance, and annual mock drills in each representative permit-space type. Off-site services (municipal fire, contracted specialists) shift the operational cost but require you to verify response times, capability, and availability for each entry.
Whichever you choose, the standard requires you to inform the rescue service of the hazards they may confront and to provide access to the permit spaces so they can develop appropriate rescue plans and practice.
The mock rescue drill (§1910.146(k)(2))
For in-house rescue teams, practise a mock rescue at least once every 12 months in each representative type of permit space. 'Representative' means matching size, opening, internal configuration, and hazards — a drill in a training tank does not substitute for a drill in a vertical vault.
Log each drill: date, participants, space type, extraction technique, findings, and any equipment or procedure updates that resulted.
A minimum rescue-plan template
Every plan should cover: identified permit-space types and their hazards; designated rescue service (in-house or contracted) with contact procedure; expected response time by hazard; rescue equipment inventory and inspection cadence; entry/extraction technique per space type; communication procedure with the attendant and entry supervisor; medical support and hospital destination; and the annual mock-drill schedule and log.
Attach the plan to each permit via a reference — that is what the §1910.146(f)(11) 'rescue services and means to summon them' field is for. Ready to operationalise this? See the [confined space entry permits](/resources/confined-space-entry-permits) pillar and [book a demo](/book-demo).