Standard Operating Guideline Trench Rescue Operations

Cumberland County – Technical Rescue Operations Team

Standard Operating Guideline –Trench Rescue Operations

01/06

Scope

This standard operating guideline applies to all Cumberland County Technical Rescue Operations Team personnel functioning on the scene during a response involving a trench emergency.

Purpose

Trench rescue operations present significant dangers to emergency response personnel and may involve complex operations utilizing shoring equipment, hand tools, earth moving equipment, heavy machinery, and other specialized resources. For the purposes of the guideline the term excavation will be defined as any depression, trench, hole or earth wall, man-made or natural of four feet in depth or greater. Collapse incidents usually occur as a result of unstable soil conditions associated with inadequate or improper shoring. The potential for secondary collapse is extremely high in these situations. The purpose of this document is to provide a general guideline by which to conduct emergency operations when operating on the scene of a trench emergency.

Tactical Considerations

2-1  Phase I – Assessment on Arrival

2-1.1 Upon arrival of Cumberland County TRT personnel the individuals serving in the positions of Rescue Command Officer, Rescue Operations Officer, and Rescue Safety Officer will receive an incident briefing from the local Incident Commander. This briefing should include all pertinent information available at the time, to include:

·  Confirmation of dispatch information

·  Nature of incident

·  Number, locations and condition of victims

·  Hazards – including underground utilities

·  Atmospheric monitoring readings (if applicable)

·  Rescue activities prior to arrival

·  Available resources

2-1.2  The Rescue Command Officer will liaison with the Incident Commander from the local jurisdiction

2-1.3  The Rescue Command Officer will record all pertinent information on the Incident Briefing Form (ICS Form 201), and begin completing the Trench Emergency Tactical Work Sheet as time permits

2-1.4  The Rescue Operations Officer will liaison with the Fire/Rescue Operations Branch in order to conduct a secondary assessment of the incident

2-1.5  The secondary assessment should consist of the following:

·  On-scene resources and capabilities

·  Need for additional resources

·  Soil type/classification

2-1.6  The Rescue Safety Officer will assess safety of the current operations and make recommendations to the Rescue Command Officer and Local Incident Commander regarding any unsafe conditions or practices

2-1.7  Working with the Local Incident Command the Rescue Command Officer may consider establishing a staging area for responding personnel and equipment from the TRT

2-2  Phase II – Pre-Rescue Operations

2-2.1  The Rescue Command Officer will assign the following positions if not done so previously:

·  Rescue Operations Officer

·  Rescue Safety Officer

·  Technical Information Officer (may be filled by OEP Rep)

2-2.2  The Rescue Operations Officer will assign the following positions in accordance the TRT Incident Command chart for trench rescue operations:

·  Shoring Group Supervisor

·  Extrication Group Supervisor

·  Cut Station/Logistics Group Supervisor

·  Support Group Supervisor

·  Technical EMS Support Group Supervisor

·  Rigging Group Supervisor (as necessary)

2-2.3  The Rescue Command Officer will be responsible for developing the Incident Action Plan in conjunction with the Local Incident Commander, Rescue Operations Officer and Rescue Safety Officer

2-2.4  Responsibilities of the Rescue Command Officer will be as follows:

·  Perform a comprehensive risk/benefit analysis as part of the rescue vs. recovery determination

·  Liaison with the Local Incident Commander and OEP Representative throughout the incident

·  Develop and complete the Initial Incident Briefing Form (ICS Form 201)

·  Determine resource needs and order additional resources as necessary

·  Monitor the progress of the plan

·  Adjust the strategy as necessary

2-2.5  Responsibilities of the Rescue Operations Officer will be as follows:

·  Isolate and deny entry to the scene

·  Establish operational zones (hot, warm, cold)

o  Hot zone – extends 0 – 50 feet

o  Warm zone – extends 50 – 150 feet

o  Cold zone – extends 150 – 300 feet

o  Anti –vibration zone – 500’ in all directions

·  Perform secondary assessment

·  Assign functional positions as noted in 2-2.2

·  Determine rescue tactics

·  Evaluate non-entry rescue options

·  Evaluate options for placing protection around victim(s) until trench can be made safe

·  Determine need for additional and/or specialized resources

·  Complete the Trench Rescue Tactical Work Sheet

·  Monitor progress of the rescue operation and adjust the plan as necessary

·  Consider dispatching or placing another TRT on stand-by as the situation dictates

·  Assure adequate personnel and equipment are available to function as a RIT if needed

2-2.6 Responsibilities of the Rescue Safety Officer will be as follows:

·  Assign an Accountability Officer (if necessary)

·  Monitor the rescue scene for unsafe acts and conditions

·  Monitor and assure continued use of PPE by all rescuers operating in the hot or warm zones

·  Develop a Site Safety Plan

·  Provide feed-back to the Rescue Command Officer regarding any safety issues

·  Monitor environmental conditions and their impact on the rescuers

·  Assure monitoring of the area around the trench for changes in soil characteristics or extension of any surface/ground cracks at least every 15 minutes during the rescue operation

2-2.7 Responsibilities of the Shoring Group Supervisor will be as follows:

·  Direct assigned personnel in the construction of a shoring system to make the trench safe

·  Design a shoring system capable of supporting the trench/excavation

·  Assure shoring system is designed and constructed in accordance with applicable tabulated data

·  Coordinate with the Cut Station/Logistics Support Group Supervisor to obtain appropriate equipment and resources

·  Direct and coordinate the installation of sheeting and shoring in the trench/excavation

2-2.8  Responsibilities of the Extrication Group Supervisor will be as follows:

·  Direct assigned personnel in the location, assessment, uncovering, packaging and removal of patients

·  Coordinate use of specialized and/or heavy equipment to assist with the extrication effort

·  Provide for a method of removing or relocating spoil from the excavation

·  Coordinate patient care activities with the Technical EMS Support Group Supervisor

·  Coordinate with local Law Enforcement and the Coroner with regard to recovery operations

·  Coordinate with the Rigging Group Supervisor on method of extricating patients once they have been uncovered and packaged

2-2.9  Responsibilities of the Cut Station/Logistics Group Supervisor will be as follows:

·  Direct assigned personnel in establishing a cut station and logistics area

·  Manage incoming resources

·  Advise the Rescue Command Officer of any additional resource needs

·  Ready shoring and support equipment to be utilized in the operation, to include ground pads, shovels, hand tools, panels, struts, extrication equipment, buckets, ladders, etc.

·  Process and prioritize requests for resources relayed from the Rescue Operations Officer

2-2.10  Responsibilities of the Support Group Supervisor will be as follows:

·  Assign and direct personnel to accomplish the following tasks as the incident dictates:

o  Making the trench lip safe and placing ground pads

o  Placing at least 2 ground ladders in the trench for access and egress

o  Moving portions of the spoil pile

o  Air monitoring

o  Ventilation

o  Control of unsecured utilities and other hazards

o  Trench dewatering

o  Scene lighting

·  Provide for continuous atmospheric monitoring of trench/excavation

·  Record atmospheric monitoring results using the attached form

·  Establish continued forced air ventilation of the trench with fresh air

·  Communicate air monitoring results to the Rescue Operations Officer

·  Monitor the ventilation and air monitoring throughout the incident

2-2.11  Responsibilities of the Rigging Group Supervisor will be as follows:

·  Direct assigned personnel in the construction of rope rescue systems utilized in the rescue

·  Coordinate with the Extrication Group Supervisor with respect to any rigging needs in order to extricate victims

2-2.12 Responsibilities of the Technical EMS Support Group Supervisor will be as follows:

·  Assign and direct personnel in the assessment and care for any entrapped victims

·  Assist with rescue versus recovery determination

·  Liaison with local EMS, determine available resources and level of care provided

·  Develop treatment strategies for victims, to include treatment for respiratory compromise, hypothermia, crush syndrome and other related trauma

·  Identify any special resources needed and communicate those to the Rescue Command Officer

·  Coordinate the establishment of a Rehab Sector in conjunction with local EMS personnel

2-2.13 All personnel operating in the hot zone on the scene of a confined space rescue incident will wear the following Personal Protective Equipment:

·  Helmet

·  Eye protection (glasses w/side shield or goggles)

·  Gloves (single ply leather or rescue style)

·  Steel toe boots with ankle support

·  Abrasion protection (pants w/long sleeve shirt or coveralls)

·  Respiratory protection (dust masks as situation dictates)

2-3  Phase III – Rescue Operations

2-3.1  Prior to committing rescuers to shoring operations the Rescue Operations Officer will conduct a briefing for personnel assigned to the Shoring and Extrication Groups, which, at a minimum, will include the following information:

·  Current situation

·  Hazards

·  General shoring plan and objectives

·  Communication plan and emergency evacuation signal

2-3.2  At no time during a rescue operation will any rescuer be permitted to enter an unshored trench below waist level (in relation to the trench lip)

2-3.3  Ladders for access and egress will be maintained and secured so that rescuers will not have to travel any greater than 25 feet horizontally to reach an egress ladder. At a minimum 2 ground ladders will be utilized when conducting sheeting and shoring operations in order to maintain adequate coverage.

2-3.4  As a general rule of thumb the first set of panels or protection will be installed in the area immediately around the victim, or in the suspected victim location

2-3.5  As a general rule of thumb the first set of panels will secured utilizing 3 struts (dependent on the depth of the trench/excavation)

2-3.6  Timber trench shoring will be installed in a top – down manner. Pneumatic shoring will generally be installed in the following order: Middle strut, top strut, bottom strut.

2-3.7  When installing pneumatic shoring the first strut will always be lowered into the trench/excavation in order to minimize exposure to rescuers

2-3.8  As a general rule of thumb struts will be placed at no greater than 4 feet on center, horizontally and vertically; however this may be exceeded provided manufacturer’s tabulated data allows for such

2-3.9  Installed shoring components will be periodically checked for integrity by rescuers operating in the trench/excavation. As a rule, all struts will be checked by personnel upon entering and exiting the trench.

2-3.10  The Rescue Safety Officer will work with the Rescue Command Officer to determine work/rest cycles for rescuers when conducting extended operations

2-3.11  Once contact is made with the victim(s), rescuers will inform the Rescue Operations Officer of such, perform an assessment of the victim and situation, and relay the following information:

·  Condition of the victim(s)

·  Rescue vs. recovery

·  Any specialized resources needed for patient care, extrication and/or patient packaging

2-3.12  If the victim(s) are determined to be deceased, local Law Enforcement personnel as well as the County Coroner will be notified and consulted concerning further recovery operations, evidence preservation, and accident investigation issues

2-3.13  The ranking medical provider on the entry team will determine patient care needs and packaging requirements for extrication in conjunction with the Technical EMS Group Supervisor and/or Medical Specialist

2-3.14  All patient care and rescue activities will be coordinated between the Rescue Operations Officer and the Technical EMS Group Supervisor so as to cause no further harm to the victim and provide for proper EMS care

2-4  Phase IV – Termination

2-4.1  Victims will be handed off to local EMS or the Coroner upon being extricated and removed from the trench/excavation

2-4.2  Once the victim(s) have been evacuated all rescuers and equipment will be removed from the trench/excavation

2-4.3  The Rescue Operations Officer will conduct a debriefing regarding the incident and the shoring crews will be rotated prior to initiating termination operations and removing installed sheeting and shoring

2-4.4  As a general rule, sheeting and shoring will be removed in the reverse order from which it was installed

2-4.5  Once all shoring and equipment have been retrieved, the trench/excavation will be secured appropriately so as to not allow any other individuals access to the space during the termination phase

2-4.6  All rescuers will be sent to the Rehab Sector as necessary

2-4.7  Equipment will be cleaned/decontaminated as necessary and returned to a state of readiness

2-4.8  The scene will be made as safe as possible given the situation so as to not pose a continued hazard to workers, the public or bystanders

2-4.9  The scene will be released to the Local Incident Commander or property owner as deemed appropriate

2-4.10  The need for Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) will be assessed and CISM will be implemented as necessary for TRT team members as well as personnel from the local jurisdiction

2-4.11  All appropriate documentation will be completed along with an After Action Report

2-4.12  A formal Post Incident Analysis will be conducted to identify areas for improvement as necessary

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