Procedure - Contingency Planning

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Purpose
1.	Definitions
2.	Process
		PREVENT
3.	Identified threats/contingencies
3.1	Contingency codes
3.2	Contingency checklists
3.3	Factors to consider
3.4	Industrial action - withdrawal of staff labour
4.	Business Continuity Planning
4.1	Business Continuity Plans
4.2	Business Impact Analysis
4.3	Contingency plan content
		RESPOND
5.	Response procedures
5.1	Access of supporting staff and emergency services
5.2	First aid
5.3	Queensland Health centre response
5.4	Hostage incidents
5.5	Incident Command Centre
5.5	Use of force
5.6	Preservation of crime scene and evidence
5.7	Media and public announcements
5.8	Incident reporting
5.9	Debriefing
		RESTORE
6.	Post recovery plan
		IMPROVE
7.	Review of contingency plans
8.	Contingency exercises

Purpose

To provide a process for the identification of risk to Queensland Corrective Services and to provide identified employees with instructions on their role and responsibility when an incident occurs.

1. Definitions

“agency directorate” - the location of one or more of the support directorates or branches

“corrective services facility” - refer Corrective Services Act 2006 Schedule 4

“officer in charge” - refers to a manager in charge of a corrective services facility or agency directorate such as a general manager, regional manager, district manager, executive director, director or their delegate/s.

2. Process

Professional and consistent response to emergent events or incidents is recognised as crucial to minimising harm arising from incidents and in meeting duty of care obligations.

All persons responding to an emergent incident will minimise the impact of the event or incident on persons involved and provide required assistance to maintain a safe and secure work place.

The general manager of a corrective services facility and district/regional manager of a district/regional office must provide for the administration and control of contingency plans for their facility or area of operations including-

1. conduct regular exercises to prevent, respond and restore and improve emergency and business continuity practices;
2. a risk analysis program must be conducted annually, in consultation with the designated officer in Operational Support Services to identify the highest perceived risks to the corrective services facility or agency directorate;
3. development of individual contingency plan responses in the form of local procedures to deal with those risks should they occur;
4. when responding to an emergency situation provide a controlled response and be cognisant of the potential for the incident to escalate or be a diversionary event;
5. where appropriate, liaise with local police, ambulance, fire services and emergency services for advice and support on contingency plans;
6. provide annual training for all officers identified in each contingency plan as having a role or responsibility in managing the plan; and
7. conduct regular testing and desktop appraisal exercises for all contingency plans each year incorporating police, ambulance, fire services and emergency services.

PREVENT

3. Identified threats/contingencies

A recognised threat assessment process must be used to identify potential threat to the corrective services facility and the following required outcomes provided for-

1. potential threats should be identified, prioritised and responses should be pre-planned and tested;
2. response plans should be coordinated with other relevant emergency services;
3. specific employee actions and responsibilities should be identified and allocated to positions not people;
4. emergency protocols should be identified;
5. an appropriate primary location and alternative secondary location for an incident command centre must be identified in accordance procedure - Incident Command Centre;
6. command and control structures should be identified;
7. maintenance of a register recording the review, testing and staff training/briefing at not more than six monthly intervals for each contingency plan;
8. access to contingency plan details is to be provided on a need to know basis; and
9. equipment necessary to provide and maintain essential lighting, power, security management systems and communications during an emergency must be tested weekly where this does not conflict with manufacturers specifications.

3.1 Contingency codes

The following contingency codes provide for effective and co-ordinated response in the event of an incident-

1. Bomb Threat/Found - Code Orange
2. Evacuation - Code White
3. External Threat - Code Purple
4. Fire - Code Red
5. Hostage - Code Brown
6. Medical Emergency - Code Blue
7. Natural Disaster - Code Aqua
8. Officer Requires Assistance - Code Yellow
9. Riot or Major Disturbance - Code Black

Each corrective services facility and agency directorate must develop a local procedure based on the above contingency codes. These local procedure must be approved by the relevant senior executive officer to ensure compliance with the relevant acts. Once approved they must be published. All corrective services facility's and agency directorate's must have an authorised and update to date hard copy of their local procedures in the event of a critical failure of information technology infrastructure.

3.2 Contingency checklists

Contingency checklists which outline the required responses and / or roles and responsibilities of identified officers, in priority order and must be developed for each contingency and attached to the local procedure (refer administrative form - Template - Checklist for Contingency Plan). These may include-

1. first officer response;
2. primary response;
3. secondary response;
4. officer's roles;
5. supervisory roles; and
6. managerial roles.

Contingency checklists, completed by each responding person in relation to any incident, must be attached to all reports and submitted prior to the stand down of staff.

3.3 Factors to consider

In the development of a corrective services facility or agency directorate local procedure/s the following should be considered:

1. is there a staff member with a mobility issue? Has security been made aware who they are and where they are located in the building?;
2. putting your buildings security telephone number at the top of all telephone lists;
3. putting the Commissioner's telephone number after security's in order for the officer in charge to contact the Commissioner;
4. the development signage which specifies who is the floor/fire warden and other important people;
5. development of the local procedures in conjunction with the other tenants and building security;
6. the development of a contacts list (home/mobile telephone) of all staff and important contacts (both local and Agency). This should be approved with the local procedure and should be amended as necessary;
7. the development of a map which outlines the location of all fire extinguishers, alarms, sprinklers and other key factors which can be given to emergency services on arrival;

3.4 Industrial action - withdrawal of staff labour

The officer in charge must develop a contingency plan that provides for the ongoing delivery of centre services in the event of the withdrawal of staff labour. The general manager will be responsible for determining the level of restriction of centre services based on operational and security necessities.

A copy of the plan must be provided to the relevant senior executive officer who will provide a quality assurance check of the plan and keep a register of all plans.

The general manager is responsible for any amendments required to the plan. Any amended plans must be provided to the relevant senior executive officer.

The officer in charge is responsible for determining officers at a corrective services facility or agency direcorate level that may be provided a copy of the plan.

4. Business Continuity Planning

4.1 Business Continuity Plans

All corrective services facilities and agency direcorates must have a Business Continutiy Plan (BCP's) that provide recovery plans for identified services in the event of a critical event.

BCP's must be completed in accordance with the approved guidelines for BCP's and on the approved templates. A corrective services facility's BCP must address Agency set standards for a recovery plan and the specific requirements for the individual facility, eg. infrastructure, staff resources, prisoner population etc.

Refer appendices - Corrective Services Facility Business Continuity Plan Template (in-confidence); Guidelines for Completing Business Continuity Plans (in-confidence); Business Continuity Plan and recovery stratigies

BCP's must be provided to the relevant senior executive officer for quality assurance checking and approval.

All operational and support managers must have a current approved copy of their corrective services facility's BCP readily available at all times.

BCP's must be reviewed every 12 months to ensure that information is current, eg contact number lists are correct and recovery plans accurately reflect current operational risk and needs.

4.2 Business Impact Analysis

The relevant senior executive officer must develop a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) document. The BIA will identify processes that may be implemented at a corrective services facility to ensure the effective recovery of critical services in the event of a critical event. The BIA must be reviewed every 12 months to ensure that it accurately reflects operational risk and needs.

The BIA will provide governance for the officer in charge in the identification and development of Business Continuity Plans.

Refer appendices - Business Impact Analysis (in-confidence); Guidelines for Completing Business Impact Analysis (in-confidence)

4.3 Contingency plan content

Contingency plans must be developed that are consistent with the outcome of the recognised threat assessment process. The content of a contingency plan must be in the format provided in - Template for Contingency Plans to provide for consistency.

RESPOND

5. Response procedures

5.1 Access of supporting staff and emergency services

The person in control of the affected area must ensure that support staff and emergency services personnel and their equipment have access to the affected area as quickly as possible. Refer procedures - Control of Access to a Facility (in-confidence) and Vehicle Access to a Corrective Services Facility (in-confidence)

Supporting staff and emergency services personnel attending an incident must have their safety ensured.

5.2 First aid

Staff who are trained in First Aid and are responding to a medical emergency must give first aid only after appropriate measures are taken to prevent contamination by blood or other body fluids. Refer procedure - Emergencies

5.3 Queensland Health centre response

If appropriate, Queensland Health centre staff must respond to the emergency site in accordance with the procedure - Emergencies.

5.4 Hostage incidents

For specific instructions related to a hostage incident, refer procedure - Management of Hostage Incidents.

5.5 Incident Command Centre

For corrective services facilities that use an incident command centre please refer to procedure - Incident Command Centre

5.5 Use of force

Refer procedure - Use of Force

5.6 Preservation of crime scene and evidence

The affected area must be preserved as a crime scene until advised otherwise by the officer in charge or incident commander. Refer procedure - Preservation of a Crime Scene and Evidence

5.7 Media and public announcements

No statements are to be made by any staff or volunteer/s to anybody outside the Agency. All media statements and requests should be coordinated by the Director of Media and Communications.

Please refer to procedure - Media Access and Public Speaking Engagements

5.8 Incident reporting

All incidents must be reported. Refer procedure - Incident Reporting

5.9 Debriefing

A critical incident debriefing must occur. Refer procedures - Managing Traumatic Events at Work and Operational Debriefing

A hot debrief should occur immediately with all staff, key stakeholders and tenants of the building to review the incident and offer support.

RESTORE

6. Post recovery plan

The officer in charge must ensure that a Post Incident Recovery Plan is developed to ensure that the facility is returned to normal operations as soon as possible.

IMPROVE

7. Review of contingency plans

All contingency plans must be reviewed at a minimum annually, or as the result of an operational debrief that reveals discrepancies.

8. Contingency exercises

Contingency plans must form part of regular contingency testing and must incorporate other agencies in the exercises where applicable.

Interagency contingency tests must be completed at a minimum of twice per year.

If a contingency test involves a role play, a safety coordinator must be appointed and a safety brief completed prior to commencing the test. Refer appendix - Situation, Mission, Execution, Administration and Control (in-confidence) (SMEAC).

KELVIN ANDERSON
Commissioner

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