Extraction Geometry Field Checklist
A free one-page check to run before a confined space entry: will your retrieval system actually get someone out?
Retrieval Is the Weakest Part of Most Confined Space Plans
Most confined space plans focus on getting a worker in, not on getting them out fast. The shape of the space, not just the size of the opening, decides whether a standard vertical retrieval system will work. This checklist helps you read the way out before anyone goes in.
Jon Cordoba, CHST, CIT, wrote it as the takeaway from his talk “Extraction Geometry: Mapping the Way Out Before Anyone Goes In” at Tri-State Seminar 2026 (EHSS Track). The slides from that talk are the second download above.
For hands-on practice with entry and retrieval, see our confined space training.
Three Steps, One Stop Gate
Step 1 Sketch and Measure
- Sketch the space in plan and section
- Measure the horizontal drag distance
- Measure vertical clearance
Step 2 Analyze the Path Out
- Count the directional changes
- Locate anchors relative to the entrant, not just the portal
- Find atmospheric dead zones a portal monitor can miss
- Mark where a standard vertical haul loses advantage
Step 3 Match the Method
- Confirm the retrieval system fits the actual path, not just the opening
- Verify retrieval meets 29 CFR 1910.146
The stop gate: if the path defeats a standard vertical system, stop before the permit is signed and fix it by changing the access, the equipment, or the staffing.
A presenter judgment guide, not a substitute for your written program or 29 CFR 1910.146.