Can You Save Yourself? The Practice of Issuing Self-Rescuers to Employees

Our company's central office building has implemented the issuance of filtering self-rescuers to all employees to ensure safety in emergency situations. This self-rescuer is always issued during the introductory HSE induction and remains with the employee at their workstation throughout their entire employment cycle. This step is aimed at protecting workers from potentially hazardous conditions, such as protecting the respiratory system from combustion products during evacuation from buildings, structures, and other facilities during fires, industrial accidents, or terrorist acts.

What is a self-rescuer?

A self-rescuer is a piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the respiratory system, used during emergencies to isolate the face and respiratory organs from the environment.

Self-rescuers are divided into two types:

• Filtering: equipped with a mask and a filter through which air passes. Depending on the composition, they block carbon monoxide, chlorine, alkalis, and other harmful substances.
• Self-contained: they do not have filters, they create a vacuum, and air is drawn from a special bag. A regenerative cartridge is used to generate oxygen.

Self-rescuers are used during evacuation in the event of fires or hazardous substance leaks.

To put on this protective equipment, you must remove it from the packaging, place it over your head, and secure it to create a seal. If the model is self-contained, you will need to activate the air generation system by pulling the cord from the oxygen bag.

Why is a self-rescuer issued?

In the event of an emergency, a self-rescuer provides the opportunity to safely exit a danger zone where there may be a lack of oxygen or the presence of harmful substances. Issuing a self-rescuer to every employee minimizes risks to health and life, ensuring that every worker can respond effectively to threats.

Benefits for employees and the employer:

• Employee safety: The availability of self-rescuers increases the level of protection for workers, which is especially important in multi-story offices with a large number of people.
• Confidence and peace of mind: Knowing that protective equipment is available helps reduce stress levels among employees.
• Legal compliance: Issuing self-rescuers meets fire safety requirements, reducing the risks of fines and legal consequences for the employer in the event of an emergency.
• Improving company image: A responsible attitude toward employee safety builds a positive image of the company as a caring employer.

What about training on how to use self-rescuers?

Most self-rescuers have a simple design, ensuring ease and simplicity of use, and do not require special training for employees. It is sufficient to read the user manual. Primary training on using a self-rescuer is conducted during the introductory induction, as well as during scheduled fire drills. To ensure more comprehensive preparation of its employees, the HSE Directorate of JSC Rosgeo has produced video instructions on how to use this device.