Summary
In short
- A rescue plan is a plan used in KnowSafe that sets out how a suspended or trapped worker will be reached and recovered, and how quickly. It is built against OSHA 1910.140, ANSI Z359 and forms part of the Permit to Work programme.
- Written before any height or confined space work. Owned by the work supervisor.
- The template holds 39 fields across 5 sections.
- Scoring is response time target, where high is good.
- OSHA is occupational Safety and Health Administration. The United States workplace safety regulator. Its standards are law where they apply.
- It connects to the rest of the library: links Permit.
What it is
What it is
What is a rescue plan?
A rescue plan is a plan used in KnowSafe that sets out how a suspended or trapped worker will be reached and recovered, and how quickly. It is built against OSHA 1910.140, ANSI Z359 and forms part of the Permit to Work programme.
When is a rescue plan completed?
A rescue plan is completed when the thing being planned is created, and again at the stated review interval. Written before any height or confined space work.
When to use it
When to use it, and when not to
This plan is one step in a larger programme. Using it for work that belongs to a neighbouring template produces records that are hard to report on later.
Use it for
- The event or activity this plan covers has occurred, or is about to
- Authorisation is needed before the work can begin
- A new record is needed; each one gets its own ID in the form RESC-2026-000
- You are running the Permit to Work programme and this is one of its steps
- A linked record needs this one to exist: links permit
Not for
- Fall Protection Plan, which sets out how falls are prevented or arrested for a site or a specific job, including anchor points and rescue.
- Ladder Safety Checklist, which steps through safe ladder use, from choosing the right ladder to setting the angle and maintaining three points of contact.
- Scaffold Inspection, which checks scaffold is erected correctly, tagged, complete and undamaged.
- Anything outside KnowSafe, which belongs in the workspace that owns that process
Standards
What it is built against
OSHAOccupational Safety and Health Administration
The United States workplace safety regulator. Its standards are law where they apply.
ANSI Z359Fall protection code
Requirements for harnesses, lanyards, anchorages and rescue.
ANSIAmerican National Standards Institute
Voluntary United States consensus standards, often referenced into regulation.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the rescue plan template based on?+
It is built against OSHA 1910.140, ANSI Z359. OSHA is occupational Safety and Health Administration. The United States workplace safety regulator. Its standards are law where they apply. ANSI Z359 is fall protection code. Requirements for harnesses, lanyards, anchorages and rescue.
What sections does the rescue plan contain?+
There are 5 sections: header, scope, response capability, method and equipment, testing. Together they hold 39 fields, 29 of which are required.
How often is a rescue plan raised?+
A new record is raised when the thing being planned is created, and again at the stated review interval. Each one is given an ID in the form RESC-2026-000, so it can be traced and referenced from other records.
Which programme does the rescue plan belong to?+
It is part of Permit to Work. One permit system covering hot work, confined space, height, excavation, electrical and line breaking.
How is a rescue plan scored?+
Scoring is response time target. High is good. Scores exist to make the form tell you something, not to produce a percentage for its own sake.
Can the rescue plan template be changed?+
Yes. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it. Most teams install it as it is, run it for a cycle, then adjust.
The agents
What the agents do with it
The form is the easy part. Keeping it current, routing it to the right owner and holding the evidence together is the work that actually slips.
Holds the rescue plan library against your registers, routes each record to its owner, and keeps the evidence trail together.
Coordinates the crew, rolls completion and exceptions into one view, and holds every write for your approval before it touches a record.
This template lives in KnowSafe — safety and compliance. Incidents, hazards, permits, inspections and the critical controls behind them.
Meet KnowSafe→Sources
Sources
- OSHA — Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- ANSI Z359 — Fall protection code
- ANSI — American National Standards Institute