Hole Watcher is also known as Standby Man or Confined Space Entry Attendant.
The Hole Watcher is responsible for recognizing dangerous circumstances, raising the alert, and initiating evacuation. He is not permitted to enter the confined hole and attempt a rescue; this is left to the rescue professionals.
Before we begin with the Duties of a Hole Watcher, please keep in mind that on most sites, the same person is designated for both Hole Watcher and Fire Watcher work, and after training, the work is assigned based on the requirements.
Hole Watcher Duties / Responsibilities
- When someone is preparing to enter the Confined Space, the Hole Watcher must first check their CSE Training Card. Following that, a Sign-in/Sign-out Log Sheet must be completed, including the name of the individual entering and the time they entered and exited. This certifies who and how many individuals are working in the Confined Space.
- Before allowing anyone inside, the Hole Watcher must validate that they have a valid work permit and that the inner atmosphere has been tested for gas.
- The Hole Watcher is responsible for ensuring that the entrants have all of the essential and appropriate PPE, as well as communicating with them in the event of an emergency.
- The task of the Hole Watcher entails maintaining continual touch with the personnel operating inside the Confined Space and gathering information about their status. If it is not possible to see the persons working inside, it is the responsibility of the Hole Watcher to determine the situation inside using a radio or rope signal.
- It is the responsibility of the Hole Watcher to monitor the atmosphere of the confined space using a gas monitor, to keep an eye on its readings, and to alert people immediately if there is an abnormal reading.
- If there is an unusual or emergency situation inside the Confined Space, it is the Hole Watcher’s responsibility to quickly evacuate the individuals working inside and contact the Emergency Service.
- If someone is injured or faints inside the Confined Space, the Hole Watcher should not make the mistake of entering it himself. His responsibility is to contact the Emergency Rescue Service and remain outside the Manway’s Access until assistance arrives. Even if it is a mistake, the Hole Watcher should not enter the Confined Space.
- It is also the responsibility of the Hole Watcher to prevent unauthorised persons from entering the Confined Space and to notify the Concern Person in the event of any unauthorised entry.
- In the following task of Hole Watcher, after the work of Confined Space is finished, bringing all of the individuals out and getting them to sign-out by writing Timing in the Log Sheet, verifying that no one is present within the Confined Space, and then the Confined Space It is the Hole Watcher’s obligation to lock the Manway, or Entry Point, with a signboard and pass over the key to the Authorised Person.
- It is the Hole Watcher’s responsibility to remain in the Confined Space at all times while work is being done. If he must depart for any reason, all entrants should be evacuated from the place when the work is halted; if the work cannot be stopped, another Trained Hole Watcher should be assigned.