Rescue systems are essential part of work environment that require workers to work at height or in confined spaces. Whenever the workers have to operate in extremely dangerous situations, the employer must prepare rescue plan and setup technical rescue systems for the safety of employees.
Vertical rescue systems are the most risky and technical among all where a small error can result in a disaster. OSHA and all occupational safety agencies require employers to plan rescue events and to have equipment, personnel and training in place in the event of the need to rescue a suspended worker or an entrant from the permit space. The procedure and approach used would depend on the site, nature of work and type of rescue emergency and should therefore be adapted to each specific job. Technological advancements in the rescue systems listed below would have the potential to change the rescue operations by aiding the rescuers to safely rescue victims in the shortest possible time.
Drones
Among the most challenging aspects of rescue work is the time constraint to reach the victims before they succumb. Rescuers often put their lives at risk in order to reach a victim quickly. Drones are a perfect tool to visualize victims at high altitudes or trapped in confined spaces. They have the ability to provide rescuers a better understanding of the victim’s situation and to encourage them to accurately plan their efforts, to know what resources they should use to effectively treat the victim, and to prevent the same hazards that the victim has faced.
Portable Powered Winches
One of the primary skills in rope rescue systems is the ability to construct mechanical advantage systems so that they can efficiently lift / lower / pull weighted objects using rope while portable powered winches will make rope rescue less reliant on rescuer built mechanical advantage systems. Winches have been around for a long time, but recent advances in battery capacity and materials have now made them robust and sturdy enough to use with human load. There are a few limitations to remember when considering the use of portable powered winches in rescue operations, including weight capacity, proper winch placement and hung up risk. Due to these reasons, it is crucially important that the rescue load must be visible to a dedicated monitor who can immediately stop the hauling if the load becomes hung up.
Dual Main Rope Rescue Systems
Dual main rope rescue system technique is gaining popularity day by day due to its advantage of using two ropes instead of one dedicated main. The load is divided between the two ropes as both are tensioned, reducing the chance of failure of the load-induced equipment. Furthermore, two-tension systems have twice the mechanical advantage of conventional systems, making pulling more effective.
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