The confined space attendant: outside, counting, never going in

Two workers are down in a vault running cable. The attendant is up top with the permit, a radio, and the air meter readout. Halfway through, the foreman asks him to grab a box of connectors from the truck. It's only a minute. While he's gone, the meter starts to alarm and one of the entrants starts slurring on the radio. Nobody up top hears it. Or the attendant sees his friend slump and climbs down the ladder to help. Now nobody is up top at all. Both stories are why the attendant's rules are so strict.

OSHA lists what the attendant does. Keep an accurate count of who is inside at all times, matched to the sign-in board or tags. Stay outside until another attendant takes over. Talk to the entrants often enough to know they're okay. Order everyone out right away if the air or conditions go bad, if someone starts acting confused or sick, if something outside puts them in danger, or if you can't do the job right. Call rescue the moment entrants may need help. Warn people who aren't on the permit to stay away, and tell the crew and the supervisor if someone goes in. And do nothing else that could pull your attention off the people inside.

Here is how to stand watch. Before entry, know the hazards of this space and the signs of exposure, like headaches, dizziness, slurred speech, or acting drunk. Check that the count on the board matches the people you saw go in. Set a check-in time on the radio, and if someone misses it, treat it as an emergency. Keep the rescue number and the retrieval winch within reach. Don't run errands, hand down tools, or take calls that pull you away. If you have to leave, get relieved by another trained attendant first or get everyone out. If something goes wrong, order the evacuation, start the rescue from outside, and call for help. Don't go in.