A confined space rescue plan is the written answer to one question: if someone collapses inside a tank, pit, or manhole, who does what in the next few minutes? In Singapura, the Keselamatan Kerja and Health Council (WSHC) says employers must establish an emergency rescue plan and provide rescue equipment for confined space pekerjaan, and the plan is one of the items that belongs on the confined space entry izin. After a fatal incident at a Tuas shipyard in April 2026, MOM reminded employers that confined spaces must be clearly marked and that risiko controls such as atmospheric testing, adequate ventilation, and a izin untuk bekerja must be in place before work begins.
In this guide: Why it matters · 10 things to include · Template outline · Quick quiz · Scenario · Drills and records · FAQs
Key takeaways
- A confined space rescue plan must exist before entry, be specific to the space, and be written into the entry permit.
- Plan for rescue from outside the space first, and keep untrained co-workers out of rescues.
- A plan that has never been practised is only a document. Drill it.
Why a Confined Space Rescue Plan Matters
WSHC lists the hazards that can exist in confined spaces: suffocation from oxygen deficiency, fire and explosion from flammable gases and vapours, poisoning from toxic gases, engulfment or entrapment by collapsing materials, and falls from height through openings and scaffolds. When something goes wrong in a space like this, the first minutes decide the outcome, and a well-meaning colleague who rushes in can become a second casualty. That is exactly the situation a rescue plan is designed to prevent.
WSHC’s employer duties also include evaluating whether entry is needed, providing safe access and egress, implementing entry procedures including gas testing, pelatihan workers and supervisors, and appointing a confined space attendant. The rescue plan sits alongside all of these. You can read the full list on WSHC’s page on working safely in confined spaces.
Confined Space Rescue Plan: 10 Things to Include
- The specific space. Identify and locate it. A plan for “tanks in general” is not a plan for Tank 4.
- The hazards that could trigger a rescue. Link to the risk assessment: atmosphere, engulfment, heat, falls.
- Roles and names. Confined space attendant, rescue team members, supervisor, and the person who calls emergency services.
- The rescue method. Prefer retrieval from outside the space using harnesses and lifting or retrieval equipment. Entry rescue needs trained, equipped responders.
- Equipment staged at the entrance. Retrieval lines and hoist or tripod where suitable, gas detector, lighting, suitable breathing apparatus, first aid, and a way to extract a casualty.
- Communication. How the attendant and entrants stay in contact, and the signal that means “get out now”.
- Raising the alarm. Who calls 995, what they say, and who meets the ambulance at the site gate.
- Atmospheric pemantauan. What readings trigger evacuation, and who stops the work.
- Access for responders. Clear routes, gate details, and a site map available to emergency services.
- Review and drills. When the plan is practised and what happens after any real event or near miss.
The entry permit should also record the emergency response plan, the name of the confined space attendant, the atmospheric test results, and the names and signatures of the supervisor, the confined space keamanan assessor, and the authorised manager.
Confined Space Rescue Plan Template Outline
Use this as a starting structure and adapt it to each space.
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| 1. Space details | Name, location, access points, dimensions, contents or residues |
| 2. Work being done | Task, duration, number of entrants |
| 3. Hazards | Atmospheric, physical, and biological hazards from the risk assessment |
| 4. People | Attendant, entrants, supervisor, rescue team, with contact numbers |
| 5. Rescue method | Retrieval sistem, entry rescue arrangements if any, who is trained |
| 6. Equipment | List, location, last inspeksi date |
| 7. Communication and alarm | Signals, radios, emergency number, who calls and when |
| 8. Responder access | Route, meeting point, site map reference |
| 9. Review | Drill date, lessons learned, plan updates |
PEER, also has a ready-to-adapt confined space rescue plan form you can use as a starting point.
Quick Quiz: Is Your Confined Space Rescue Plan Ready?
Answer in your head, then click each question to compare.
1. Could your attendant name, without looking, who calls 995 and what they would say?
They should be able to. In an emergency there is no time to read the plan, so the key steps must be known and rehearsed.
2. Is the rescue equipment at the entrance before anyone goes in?
It should be staged and checked beforehand. Equipment that has to be fetched after an emergency starts arrives too late.
3. Does the plan assume a co-worker will climb in to help?
It should not. Untrained entry by colleagues is a common way one casualty becomes several. Plan retrieval from outside, and use trained responders for any entry rescue.
4. When was the plan last practised?
A plan that has never been drilled is untested. Drill it, record what went wrong, and update it.
Scenario: What Would You Do?
A worker inside a tank stops responding to the attendant’s calls. A colleague on the ladder says he can reach him in seconds and starts to climb down.
See the recommended response
Stop him. The attendant should raise the alarm immediately, call 995, and start retrieval from outside using the equipment staged at the entrance. The colleague should not enter without breathing protection and training, because whatever disabled the first worker may disable him too.
Drills and Records
Run drills on realistic scenarios and time them. Record who took part, what was practised, what went wrong, and what changed in the plan afterwards. Keep equipment inspection records alongside the plan, and record training for attendants and rescue team members. For the wider system, see our guides to the sistem izin kerja elektronik dan HSE training records and worker competency.
Confined Space Rescue Plan FAQs
What is a confined space rescue plan?
A written plan that sets out who does what, with which equipment, if someone in a confined space needs rescuing.
Is a confined space rescue plan required in Singapore?
WSHC states that employers must establish an emergency rescue plan and provide rescue equipment, and the entry permit should include the emergency response plan.
What should a confined space rescue plan include?
The space, hazards, roles, rescue method, equipment, communication, alarm procedure, atmospheric monitoring triggers, responder access, and drill schedule.
Who should carry out a confined space rescue?
Trained and properly equipped responders. Untrained co-workers should not enter to attempt a rescue.
Next Steps
Review the WSHC Technical Advisory on Working Safely in Confined Spaces, then adapt PEER’s confined space rescue plan form to your own sites. For a Singapore view of permits in general, read our guide to digital permit to work systems.
