Highways Agency

• Traffic Incident Management Bulletin

April 2007

The Standard Incident Management Plan (SIMP) has been developed by the Highways Agency (HA) to provide a framework and guidance for the effective management of incidents.

The Standard Incident Management Plan consists of 3 parts:

• The Standard Incident Management Framework (SIMF) which contains a strategic overview of the Agency’s Incident Command & Control Co-ordination structures. Information on SIMF was published in the January TIM Bulletin. This can be viewed here (SIMF).
• Standard Incident Management Guidance (SIMG). This conveys tactical information giving clear functions and responsibility for those involved in managing or supporting management of an incident.
• The Highways Agency ‘Way we Work’. The operational process instructions giving information to Agency personnel on how to carry out specific tasks.

SIMG has been written to set out the detail to support the HA SIMP and SIMF. It provides guidance on the command and control of incidents and describes individual functions and actions to be carried out. It identifies the activities, responsibilities and accountabilities of each function required in managing an incident. These function descriptions are supported by Aide Memoire cards that give the user a basic structured list of key points that they should consider when performing each specific function.

Ambiguity can lead to a breakdown in communication and creates the potential for loss of life, credibility and major political impact. It follows that the effective coordination of HA responses can only be done in an environment where there is clarity of a function and purpose. SIMG provides clear guidance on specific functions and how those functions contribute to the effective management of the incident or crisis.

The SIMG also details guidance about Briefings, Rendezvous Points, Marshalling Points and Cordons.

Functions

Incident Commanders, with the assistance of their support staff, will allocate functions to individuals and establish the functions required for each incident. These are functions and not roles. Therefore one person could carry out more than one function.

In the most extreme, serious or protracted incident a number of functions may be performed during the management of the incident. However, functions only need to be filled as far as is necessary to deal with the incident.

Appreciating the demands placed on those tasked with the tactical and operational delivery of the HA’s service, 9 primary functions have been initially identified as the key to effective resolution of incidents.

Function Descriptions

The 9 primary functions are:

• First Traffic Officer on the Scene
• Bronze Scene Commander
• Bronze Traffic Management
• RCC Operator
• RCC Supervisor
• Silver Commander
• Silver Suite Co-ordinator
• Gold Commander
• Specialist Advisor, Area Performance Team.

Many other functions have been identified and briefly outlined in the SIMG and include Scene Safety Officer, Service Provider Incident Support Unit, Bronze Cordon, Loggist and Staff Welfare Liaison.

Function descriptions will be provided in a standard format to enable universal understanding and consistency. The description covers the following aspects of the function:

• Purpose
• Primary function and first action
• Responsibilities
• Accountable and responsible to
• Escalation
• Delegation
• Resources

The standardisation of the process has been developed so that anyone undertaking a different function or working in a different RCC location will immediately recognise the format and be able to follow it.

Functions are not rank specific. Consequently, the person best suited to perform the function in respect of training, skills and knowledge should do so.

Cadre System

A cadre is a group of people with professional competence in a specialist area who are available, and trained, to fulfil a function if called upon to do so. A cadre system provides resilience, limits training costs and generates flexibility.

Members of the cadre are listed and kept at a level of proficiency and awareness in their specialist area so that they can be readily called upon to fulfil the function(s) when needed.

Each Region will need to identify members of the cadre in their RCC contingency plan, where each Region is required to identify and develop their capability to fulfil each function. Each function description is accompanied by a ‘desirable skills, knowledge and abilities’ section to assist in identifying cadre members.

Training

Between April and September all Traffic Officer on-road staff and RCC operators will attend training on SIMP, incorporating SIMF and SIMG. This will include role specific details for the functions they are likely to be required to undertake and a general overview of the contents of SIMG. These functions are:

• First Traffic Officer on Scene
• Bronze Commander
• Bronze Traffic Management
• RCC Operator

At the conclusion of the training, each staff member will receive a copy of the relevant aide memoires and also relevant sections of SIMG for future reference.

Aide Mémoire

These are being developed, in a variety of easy to use formats, from the appropriate function description. They provide the user with a basic structured list of key points that they must consider when undertaking that function. This includes:

• Gather Information
• List Objectives
• Explore Options
• Develop Actions
• Monitor
• Evaluate

At present, laminated versions in pocket size, A5 and A4 formats are being developed, to ensure the most usable format is available to them.

For an example of the current Aide Mémoire please see the PDF below:

• Aide Mémoire (76KB PDF)

For more information contact:  SIMF@highways.gsi.gov.uk