On this page: What is an emergency plan? | Timeline for having a plan in place | Developing a plan
Under the Rail Safety Act 2006, accredited rail operators are required to prepare an emergency plan for the infrastructure, infrastructure operations and/or rolling stock operations relevant to their accredited rail operations.
A draft guide on the preparation of an emergency plan is now available from the consultation page for industry comments. The deadline for submissions is 26 October 2007. Please note that PTSV will publish submissions on this website unless requested not to. Submissions that PTSV agrees not to publish may still be disclosed by PTSV if this is authorised or required by law.
What is an emergency plan?
An emergency plan considers possible emergency scenarios and includes practical approaches to dealing with each of these scenarios.
Scenarios may include bushfire or fire on a train, a collision between a train and other object, a derailment, or a train becoming stranded while on route.
Included in an emergency plan may be:
- Types or classes of foreseeable emergencies
- Range of possible consequences associated with above (magnitude and severity)
- Methods to prevent escalation of emergency
- Initial response procedures – provision of rescue services
- Recovery procedures for restoration of operations and assistance of people affected
- Allocation of roles and responsibilities
- Call-out procedures
- Allocation of personnel for on-site management of emergency
- Procedures for liaison with relevant emergency services and guidance as to when they should be immediately contacted
- Procedures to ensure that emergency services have sufficient information to allow them to respond effectively
- Procedures for effective communications and co-operation through the emergency response; and
- Contact details for relevant emergency services.
Timeline for having a plan in place
Under the implementation process for the transition from the Transport Act 1983 to the Rail Safety Act 2006, accredited rail operators have until 1 August 2008 (1 August 2009 for tourist and heritage organisations) to have an emergency plan in place.
If you intend to apply for accreditation, or applied after 1 August 2006, you need to have an emergency plan in place immediately.
Developing a plan
The emergency plan must be prepared in conjunction with emergency services and in accordance with the regulations (which can be downloaded from this page).
The Rail Safety Regulations 2006 specify how the emergency plan is to be:
- prepared
- kept and maintained
- tested
- provided to other persons