Emergency Response Assistance Planning

The federal Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (Part 7) requires that certain dangerous goods require an Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP) to be filed before shipment.

This bulletin is a brief outline of the requirements and provides some guidance on the preparation of the ERAP. Schedule I, of the Regulations Column 7 contains the ERAP index, a specified quantitiy of a substance, for which a plan must be prepared. A summary of the plan must be filed with Transport Canada. The ERAP summary describes a company's capability to respond, reduce, or eliminate the consequences of any potential or actual release of substances.

The ERAP has four (4) general areas on response capability: ERAP activation, response tasks, resources, and preparedness.

Planning

Every plan should include policy and purpose statements, organizational structure, the geographical scope, and the list of regulated substances. The plan, once complete, must be a living document; one that is regularly scrutinized. Complete readiness means, for example, simulation exercises, updated contact lists, staff training programs, and scheduled audits to ensure the plan is current.

Activation

ERAPs must describe how emergency calls are processed and how emergency action is started.

Decision makers will require immediate and accurate incident information such as: date, time, location, injuries, deaths, type of containers, method of containment, quantities of dangerous goods, labels, placards, shipping documents, weather conditions, terrain at the site and close by, and names/positions of on site personnel.

A pre-printed "Emergency Response Form" can be used to gather the information and as a guide in determining the appropriate action.

Authority and Resource Mobilization

The following information must be identified: the person(s) in charge, the chain of command, the on-scene authority, medical officers, media relations officers, and additional assistance and communication information.

The use of flow charts and checklists are valuable guides for this type of information.

Response Tasks

External Alerting

The plan must detail who contacts or deals with police/fire personnel, emergency measures organizations, federal/provincial authorities, news media, and volunteer/off duty personnel.

Emergency Action/Containment/Cleanup

Methods to minimize danger should be provided for each material handled as well as the location, capability and limitations of equipment used. The plan must specify methods of response and contemplate all scenarios. This includes response information for a particular substance and guidance on methods such as diking, storing, transferring and disposal. Restoration of a site should be factored into the recommended methods.

Resources

The plan should describe how people and equipment will get to the site, how they will be supported during the crisis and how crews will be supplied for the duration of the incident. The plan should include an emergency roster of the following: individuals within the organization, regulatory contacts, contractors, technical specialists, health and environmental authorities, and the news media must be available.

Preparedness

Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment

These are critical planning tools. They provide a basis to set priorities and give crucial documentation to support the response. Scenarios should be developed and must include worst case situations including materials handled, methods of containment, modes of transportation, topography, climate and routes available. Maps showing waterways, highways, rail lines, population distribution, chemical manufacturing and storage sites, and the location of potential emergency response resources all enhance the understanding of the plan and reduce impact.

Training

The ERAP must outline a comprehensive training policy that provides fast and thorough emergency response. Training must be regularly updated.

Exercises and Investigative Follow up

Simulation exercises allow a plan to be tested under conditions similar to an actual incident. It can be exercised in stages. When each stage has been reviewed, a full-scale scenario is helpful in evaluating the total response. Tabletop exercises help foresee problems without the time and expense of simulations.

Realism is critical. As much information as possible should be provided to get the best evaluation of the plan.

Equipment Maintenance

The plan should provide a formal approach to preventative maintenance of response equipment including regularly scheduled sessions for operational testing and inventory control.

Integration

Integrating the plan with existing local plans along your transportation corridors will carry many benefits, including making people more aware and better prepared in case of an accident.

ERAP Updating

A formal process for updating and informing all plan holders of changes should be implemented. Dating each page and including an amendment page is helpful. Telephone numbers, staff changes, emergency services and types of dangerous goods handled are the items that require revision most often.

After each incident or exercise, the response should be evaluated and the plan modified accordingly.

Distribution List

The plan should list all names, addresses and affiliations of those who need to see the ERAP.

Prepared by the Coordination and Information Centre.

For more information call our 24 hour Information Hotline: 1-800-272-9600 (Edmonton Area please call: 422-9600) Fax: 403-427-1044