Can an employer compel a worker to act as a rescuer for a confined space emergency in which they may need to enter the space to rescue a worker in an emergency situation?
In my opinion, an employer may compel a worker to be a rescuer if both of the following conditions are met: 1) The role of a confined space rescuer is within the worker’s job description, and 2) Adequate training is provided to the individual. However, what may be legal is not always best practice. Therefore, I recommend that an employer ask for volunteers to be rescuers and train them accordingly for their confined space program.
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