Confined Space Rescue Services.
Professional emergency response and rescue provision for high-risk work environments.
Working in confined spaces carries a high risk of serious injury or fatality. UK law requires suitable and sufficient rescue arrangements to be in place before work begins.
Sector 3 Group provides professional confined space rescue services across the UK, supporting construction, utilities and industrial projects with competent rescue teams, standby cover and compliant rescue planning.
What is confined space rescue?
Confined space rescue is the planned and controlled recovery of a person who becomes injured, unwell or trapped within a confined space where normal access and escape are restricted.
These environments often present additional hazards such as reduced oxygen levels, toxic atmospheres, flooding risk, mechanical entrapment or difficult vertical access. Rescue in these settings requires specialist training, equipment and planning to avoid putting additional people at risk.
Common examples of confined spaces include
Manholes, chambers and shafts
Tunnels and culverts
Tanks, silos and vessels
Sewers and drainage systems
Pits, sumps and voids
When is confined space rescue required?
Under the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997, employers must ensure that adequate emergency arrangements are in place whenever work is carried out in a confined space.
This means:
Rescue arrangements must be planned in advance
Reliance on the emergency services alone is not considered sufficient
Rescue teams must be competent, equipped and immediately available
Professional confined space rescue provision is typically required where:
Entry involves a risk of serious injury or death
The space is difficult to access or evacuate
Atmospheric hazards may be present
Vertical or technical rescue techniques are needed
Why professional rescue provision matters
Confined space incidents often escalate rapidly. Poorly planned or improvised rescues are a leading cause of multiple fatalities, where untrained colleagues attempt rescue and become casualties themselves.
Rescue planning is not just about compliance. It is about making sure everyone goes home safely.
Using a professional confined space rescue provider helps to:
Reduce risk to workers and rescuers
Meet legal and regulatory obligations
Ensure rapid, competent emergency response
Provide reassurance to clients, contractors and regulators
Our confined space rescue services
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Emergency confined space rescue teams
We provide trained and experienced rescue teams capable of responding to confined space emergencies using appropriate techniques and equipment, including casualty packaging, vertical extraction and atmospheric control.
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Standby rescue cover
For high-risk activities, maintenance shutdowns or complex entries, we can provide on-site standby rescue teams ready to respond immediately if an incident occurs.
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Rescue planning and risk assessment
We support duty holders with the development of confined space rescue plans tailored to specific locations, access points and hazards, ensuring arrangements are suitable and sufficient before work starts.
Compliance with UK confined space regulations
Our confined space rescue services are designed to align with UK health and safety legislation and industry guidance, including the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997.
We work with clients to ensure that:
Rescue arrangements are proportionate to risk
Equipment is appropriate and maintained
Personnel are trained and competent
Emergency procedures are clearly understood
This approach supports compliance, audit readiness and safer working practices on site.
Sectors we support
We provide confined space rescue services across a range of high-risk industries, including:
Construction and civil engineering
Utilities and water infrastructure
Energy and industrial facilities
Transport and infrastructure projects
Our services are scalable and adaptable to both short-term works and long-term projects.
Frequently asked questions
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UK law requires that suitable and sufficient emergency arrangements are in place before any work is carried out in a confined space. This includes having competent personnel, appropriate rescue equipment and a clear rescue plan. Relying solely on the emergency services is not considered adequate.
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Confined space rescue is required whenever there is a foreseeable risk of serious injury or death during confined space entry. This applies regardless of how short the task is or how experienced the workers are.
HSE guidance is clear that emergency arrangements should be planned and proportionate to the risk, with competent people and suitable equipment available.
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No. UK guidance is clear that employers must make their own rescue arrangements. Emergency services may not be immediately available and may not be equipped or familiar with the specific hazards of the confined space.
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Standby rescue involves having a dedicated rescue team on site and ready to respond immediately while confined space work is taking place. This is typically required for higher-risk entries, complex access or prolonged work activities.
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In some cases, yes, but only if they are properly trained, equipped and immediately available. Many organisations choose to use an external rescue provider to ensure competence, independence and reliability, particularly for higher-risk environments.
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Yes. Each confined space has its own layout, access points and hazards. Rescue plans must be specific to the space and the work being carried out. Generic or reused plans are rarely sufficient.
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Response times are defined during the rescue planning process. For standby rescue, teams are already on site and can respond immediately. For planned call-out arrangements, response times are agreed in advance and aligned to the level of risk.
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No. Training prepares people to work safely and understand emergency procedures. Confined space rescue is the operational capability to carry out a rescue if something goes wrong. Many organisations require both.
Confined space work demands proper rescue planning
If your project involves confined space entry, speak to us early. We can help you put compliant, practical rescue arrangements in place before work begins.