Question 1

What rescue equipment should be readily available and pre-positioned at the entrance BEFORE entry begins, not fetched after an emergency starts?

Accepted Answer

A rescue harness/lifeline on the entrant (where practicable), breathing apparatus for the rescue team, a means of mechanical recovery (tripod/winch where applicable), and a stretcher suitable for vertical/confined extraction Rescue equipment fetched after an emergency starts costs the minutes that determine survival in an oxygen-deficient or toxic atmosphere. COSWP requires rescue equipment appropriate to the space (harness/lifeline, BA for the rescue team, recovery/lifting gear, confined-space stretcher) to be positioned and checked before entry, not improvised afterwards.

Question 2

Under MSC.581(110), what is the maximum acceptable CO2 reading (by volume) before an enclosed space can be considered safe for entry?

Accepted Answer

Less than 0.5% by volume (5,000 ppm) Para. 7.4 sets the CO2 exposure limit at below 0.5% by volume (5,000 ppm) before entry; if this is not achieved, the space remains unsafe. CO2 is now explicitly addressed as a major asphyxiation hazard alongside oxygen depletion.

Question 3

Under the revised recommendations, is single-person entry into an enclosed space ever permitted?

Accepted Answer

No — the company must ensure single-person entry into an enclosed space is not permitted Para. 3.11 explicitly prohibits single-person entry into an enclosed space under any circumstances covered by the recommendation.