An integrated approach

Preliminary appraisal

Contingency planning is an interactive process, involving regular exchanges between yourselves and our team. Our work always begins with a preliminary appraisal implemented based on the elements provided in order to familiarise ourselves with your risks. This appraisal covers various aspects:

• documentary analysis: national legislation, plans in force, existing procedures and organisations, assistance agreements in place, description of facilities and activities, metocean data, details of past incidents, equipment inventory, etc.
• pollutant behaviour: information gathered from existing data or from analyses and tests that can be performed by Cedre
• simulation of slick drift at sea: slick drift and weathering forecasts by experienced modelling specialists.

Assessment mission

After familiarising themselves with the local context, Cedre's technical advisers visit the site to:

• complete the collection of all relevant documents
• visit the facilities in the presence of the operation managers
• define the potential incident scenarios and the response strategies to be developed
• visit the permanent prevention and response arrangements and the spill response equipment storage sites in order to identify any potential deficiencies and strong points
• meet the key response stakeholders in case of a spill, whether they be in the public or private sphere.

Following this mission, a report is produced outlining the schedule of visits and exchanges and laying down the strategic and tactical foundations of the plan: spill scenarios and selected strategies, equipment procurement recommendations, etc.

Plan preparation

This phase of the project involves developing strategies and actions that may be implemented in response to the risks highlighted during the assessment phase, then drafting an operational document. This document includes:

• the description of the organisational aspects of incident management: emergency staff chart, assignment sheets, alert and communication chart.
• the pre-identified scenarios analysed in detail by a group of experts from our team
• illustrated practical datasheets explaining how to implement the proposed techniques. These datasheets are tailored to your site, products and risks.
• appendices: technical, scientific, environmental and regulatory elements.

This plan is submitted to you for review. Once your remarks have been integrated, the final version is delivered in printed form. You will also be given a USB device with the electronic version of the plan presented via a web-style interface.

Implementing the plan

In order to be effective, a plan must be widely disseminated and understood by all. To help your teams – both decision-makers and operators – to familiarise themselves with the plan, we visit your facilities to present it concisely and didactically. We can assist you in implementing the plan through additional services:

• training and exercises on site or at our facilities
• establishing assistance agreements
• support in the selection, reception and/or commissioning of new equipment.