What does OSHA require in the situation where the standby person must enter an IDLH atmosphere to provide emergency rescue?

The employer has flexibility in determining who will respond to such emergency rescue situations. The employer or authorized designee must be notified before the standby personnel undertake rescue activity and the employer or designee must then provide appropriate assistance for the particular situation. The employer must ensure that before entering an IDLH environment to provide emergency rescue, standby personnel notifies the employer or the employer’s designee who has been authorized by the employer to provide necessary assistance that they are about to enter.

As part of the written respirator program’s worksite-specific procedures, the procedures that standby personnel will follow and whom they specifically need to notify in rescue situations must be specified. The employer’s emergency response team may provide the necessary support, or other arrangements may have been made with local firefighting and emergency rescue personnel.