Hazard Knowledge

It may be necessary to extricate many species of animals from enclosed spaces. In addition to dealing with the hazard presented by the animal, there will be the generic hazards of working in enclosed spaces.

Working in enclosed spaces can present difficulties in accessing the animal. It may also limit the resources that can be deployed to extricate the animal. The environment may be dark and present difficulties for communication. The use of scene lighting may result in additional stress for the animal.

Working in close proximity to the animal may increase its adrenalin levels and make its behaviour more unpredictable. The animal may suffer from additional stress if there are large numbers of emergency responders deployed to carry out its rescue from an enclosed space.

For details of equipment and techniques, refer to the control measure, Move or lift the animal; this activity may be more difficult when extricating an animal from an enclosed space.