Developing and Managing an SMS Risk Register – Emergency Response Plan (ERP) Elements
Sofema Online (SOL) www.sofemaonline.com considers the key risks to be considered as part of the ERP interface with the Safety Management System (SMS).
Introduction
Organizations can never anticipate the next crisis so they must try to the most likely crisis scenarios as well as those potential anomalies that pose a risk or existential threat to the organization.
Crisis management planners should build ERPs that are both comprehensive and adaptable and must exercise them regularly to support a process of continual improvement.
The emergency response plan is an integral and critical component of an organization’s business resilience program. To be effective the ERP must be properly documented, effectively implemented, accessible by key personnel, integrated with the organization’s overall safety and business objectives and exercised regularly.
The ERP should:
» Describe a process for ensuring its effectiveness and continual improvement through periodic testing, evaluation, analysis and updating;
» Specify the process for training needs analyses (TNA) and providing initial and recurrent training to ensure all participants perform their roles competently; a process for maintaining awareness of the ERP throughout the organization;
» A process for updating the ERP and disseminating changes to affected stakeholders.
Risks to Consider - The Organisation Shall have within the ERP process :
» An emergency response plan (ERP) that reflects the size, nature and complexity of the operation.
» The ERP should be fully developed and should define the procedures, roles, responsibilities and actions of the various connected organizations and key personnel.
» Key personnel shall an appropriate level of knowledge and understanding concerning the ERP and shall have easy access to the ERP documentation and related forms and checklists at all times.
» The organization shall have a process to distribute the ERP procedures and to communicate the content to all personnel.
» The ERP should be periodically tested (Full & Partial) for the adequacy of the plan and the results reviewed to improve its effectiveness.
» The organization should have interface procedures / Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) or agreements with other organizations for mutual aid and the provision of emergency services.
» The ERP shall full integrate and comply with all SMS requirements.
ERP managers should aim to achieve best practice in their ERP design as identified in the global principles of Safety Management Systems, namely:
» Policy,
» Objectives,
» Management commitment;
» Planning for potential crisis events based on risk profile;
» Regular testing, evaluation, analysis and improvement of the ERP;
» Training and communication processes.
Considering the Emergency Response Plan Objectives
The plan should identify:
» Potential risk events;
» Categories of events, based on the organization’s risk profile;
» Mobilization procedures, response procedures and resources;
» Fully integrate with the business continuity plans.
The ERP should
» Describe a process for ensuring its effectiveness and continual improvement through periodic testing, evaluation, analysis and updating;
» Specify the process for training needs analyses (TNA) and providing initial and recurrent training to ensure all participants perform their roles competently; a process for maintaining awareness of the ERP throughout the organization;
» A process for updating the ERP and disseminating changes to affected stakeholders;
» Lack of or incomplete description of roles, accountabilities and responsibilities;
» Limited or lack of resource availability for ERP planning, including staffing;
» Incorrect or incomplete ERP procedures including instructions;
» Lack of or ineffective ERP organizational structure;
» Lack of or ineffective safety management processes (including risk management, safety assurance, auditing, training and resource allocation);
» Incorrect or incomplete or lack of training and knowledge transfer.
Summary
An SMS-compliant ERP is informed by the organization’s risk profile and incorporates processes and procedures to mitigate the effects of its highest-risk outcomes.
Whilst it is It is impossible to plan for every risk event an effective ERP, should ideally consider unlikely risk scenarios that, should they occur, may have devastating consequences for the organization. (Covid War – What next?)
Emergency response planning should consider high-consequence events regardless of how unlikely they are to occur; in essence, those high-impact, low-likelihood events that can pose a profound or existential threat to the organization.
Sofema Aviation Services provides specific support related to ERP Training, Testing & Preparation of Process & Procedures. For additional details, please visit www.sassofia.com or email team@sassofia.com.
