Contingency planning

The first stage in preparing for response involves developing a contingency plan that specifies the methodology to be adopted in the event of an accident.
In many countries, all ships, factories and port facilities must have a contingency plan before beginning operations. Countries also often have one or more such plans. They are established in anticipation of incidents and should be regularly updated according to the products involved but also with regards to changes to regulations and improved expertise.

Generally speaking, contingency plans address five crucial points:

• the identification of the risks related to substances handled or transported,
• the identification of potential stakeholders and their responsibilities,
• the inventory and preparation of equipment (protective equipment, response equipment),
• the actions to be taken in the event of a spill,
• the training of persons liable to be involved in response.

Finally, through training and exercises, contingency plans can be implemented, validated and improved.