San Francisco technicans didn't delay their operation to rescue a man trapped in a sewer pipe this past weekend.
Information published by local media indicated they waited for an OSHA permit before proceeding with the rescue.
Prior to any confined space rescue, the incident commander makes sure certain safety measures are in place.
"The phrase "Pulling a permit" in this application refers to the Incident Commander following the OSHA Confined Space Rescue requirements which outline safety measures and equipment, time rescuers are exposed to the space, air monitoring and other criteria," Justin Schorr, San Francisco Fire public information officer, explained in an e-mail.
As the observation is made in real time, there was no delay in the rescue.
Firefighters were alerted early Sunday by a person who heard someone screaming from a manhole.
The victim somehow got into the pipe which was 20 feet below street level. At some point, there was a downward drop in the pipe, and the man fell on his head. He was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries.
