Is Calling 911 a Sufficient Emergency Plan?

In some companies, particularly small ones, it may be tempting to simply rely on calling 911 in the event of an emergency in a confined space. But is calling in the fire department or other emergency services personnel an adequate emergency plan under the OHS laws? CSA Z1006 notes that relying on local emergency services isn’t always an option. And although the regulations themselves don’t address the use of 911, several jurisdictions have tackled this issue in confined space guidelines. Guidelines from AB, BC and ON specifically state that calling 911 is not good enough. Nova Scotia’s guidelines don’t go that far. They say that use of the 911 system can be part of a company’s emergency procedure but notes that employers should consider that:

• Not all emergency personnel are trained or equipped for confined space rescue;
• In some cases, the response time for emergency services may be too long; and
• Emergency personnel may be out on another call and so unable to respond to a confined space emergency in your workplace when you need them.