25.2 Exercises for relevant IM & RU staff

Description

What does this measure refer to and what is its objective?

Exercises for IM/RU incident response units (e.g. staff of the OCC, situation room, infrastructure maintenance and other logistical support staff) are a crucial element in improving incident management, as they transfer the knowledge and experience acquired by the organization in a methodical, focused manner to all relevant entities. It also supports a clear understanding of the needs of the police, whose representatives may participate in the training to mutual benefit. Information leaflets/ packages/ kits can be used to support formal exercises.

Recommendations

Best practice and lessons learned

Exercises are a way of testing incident response plans and are regularly organised by IMs and RUs to ensure, for example, over a period of time, that:

  • Plans are effective with the necessary resources (people and equipment) available;
  • The planned IM and RU relationship is effective;
  • IM and RU organisations and individuals understand their allocated roles and apply these properly;
  • There are effective relationships between responders, e.g. between the IM’s Lead Person, external incident responders on site, the OCC and external incident responders control centres;
  • Incident response arrangements are effective in locations with difficult access e.g. sub- surface stations and cuttings.

IMs and RUs may seek to involve external incident responders in these exercises to test the robustness of planned interfaces and a co-ordinated response. In addition to testing their own plans IMs and RUs PTOs/IMs need to liaise with and support relevant exercises organised by external incident responders. Information may be obtained and lessons learned by attending other organisations exercises and IMs and RUs may do this as observers even when not directly involved in the plan being exercised.

Warning points

Expected difficulties and issues you should pay attention to

As an input to ensuring staff training and competence IMs and RUs record those staff attending exercises.

Observations

Other points that you should not forget

Deficiencies in plans identified during exercises will need to be corrected as soon as possible, ideally before subsequent use of the plans.

Study results

Data or other evidence supporting the measure's effectiveness

last update: 2014-09-17