Critical Incident Response What to do when the worst of the worst happens
WORDS BY FIONA PERRIN , SENIOR RISK ENGINEER , ZURICH RESILIENCE SOLUTIONS
It ’ s every company ’ s worst nightmare , it ’ s a Friday afternoon when your fleet manager calls to say there ’ s been a fatal accident involving one of your fleet . Do you have a plan for what you would be next ?
A Critical Incident Plan can form part of a business continuity plan or and emergency response plan or be a single standalone document . The length or complexity of the document does depend on the size of the organisation but simplicity is always key . This article gives you some things to consider when writing your own critical incident plan and includes some pointers on what to include .
Critical Incident Classifications
Critical incidents can vary in severity and impact , which is why it is important to classify them based on their nature and potential consequences . Critical incident classifications can help guide the response and resources
allocated to each incident . One common classification system is the “ criticality ” or “ severity ” level , which categorises incidents based on their potential harm or damage caused . This can range from low severity incidents , such as minor vehicle collisions , to high severity incidents , such as fatal accidents . Another classification criterion is the “ operational impact ” or “ disruption level ,” which assesses the extent to which the incident affects the company ’ s operations . For example , an incident that results in significant disruption to the fleet ’ s operations or negatively impacts the company ’ s reputation may be classified as high impact . By classifying critical incidents , companies can prioritise their response efforts and allocate resources accordingly , ensuring that the most severe incidents receive the necessary attention and support .
Emergency response protocols
In the event of a fatal vehicle accident involving company vehicles , it is crucial to have clear and detailed emergency response protocols in place .
36 ISSUE 46 APRIL 2024 / WWW . AFMA . ORG . AU