APP_16 — Emergency Preparedness & Response Matrix¶
Document Information
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Document Reference | APP_16 |
| Issue Number | 3 |
| Issue Date | 1 June 2026 |
| Next Review | 1 June 2027 |
| Controlled By | Sean Ashton (HSQE Consultant) |
| Approved By | Aaron Mason, Director |
Master source — this page is canonical
The IMS portal is the master source for APP_16. The Excel below is a downloadable snapshot — matrix of emergency scenarios (fire, spill, RTI, environmental, medical) with response procedures and roles.
Related: APP_17 Disaster Recovery & BCP · APP_18 Emergency Equipment
Tip: use the floating button bottom-right to toggle wide-mode (Alt+W).
1. Purpose¶
This matrix provides A M Water Services Limited with practical emergency response procedures for incidents that may occur during water infrastructure operations in the Northampton area and across our Anglian Water and Affinity Water operating regions.
2. Scope¶
This matrix covers emergency scenarios relevant to:
- Water main installation and repair operations
- Grab hire operations
- Highway working
- Office-based activities at Northampton headquarters
- Emergency call-outs and reactive maintenance
3. Testing Programme and Records (2025)¶
Completed Exercises¶
| Date | Type | Scenario | Participants | Outcome | Learning Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2025 | |||||
| 08/01/2025 | Toolbox Talk | Service strike procedures - review after near miss | Morning shift (7) | Satisfactory | Reinforced importance of CAT scanning every excavation |
| 22/01/2025 | Office Test | Power cut response - Northampton office | Office staff (3) | Pass | UPS systems for servers working, phones stayed operational |
| 05/02/2025 | Discussion | Customer confrontation de-escalation | Site teams (informal) | Good feedback | Agreed always work in pairs in difficult areas |
| 19/02/2025 | Desktop Review | Major water main burst - Billing Road scenario | Aaron, Jason | Completed | Updated emergency stock locations list |
| 03/03/2025 | Toolbox Talk | Working near schools - safeguarding awareness | All operatives | Well received | Everyone understood reporting procedures |
| 14/03/2025 | Practical | First aid - cuts and abrasions | Selected operatives (5) | Pass | First aid kits checked and restocked |
| Q2 2025 | |||||
| 11/04/2025 | Discussion | Discovering unexpected services (unmapped) | Team briefing | Good engagement | Shared experiences from Duston area |
| 24/04/2025 | Communication Test | WhatsApp cascade test - bank holiday | Available staff | 90% response | Some on holiday as expected |
| 07/05/2025 | Toolbox Talk | Manual handling refresher | Morning teams | Completed | Demonstrated proper lifting for kerb stones |
| 20/05/2025 | Office Test | IT system failure response | Leanne, admin team | Managed well | Cloud backup access confirmed working |
| 04/06/2025 | Practical | Vehicle breakdown procedure - M1 motorway | Grab drivers (4) | Good understanding | Everyone knew recovery contact details |
| 18/06/2025 | Review Meeting | Summer weather preparations | Management | Plans agreed | Sun cream and water supplies ordered |
| Q3 2025 | |||||
| 09/07/2025 | Toolbox Talk | Excavation safety - edge protection | Site teams (9) | Well attended | Discussed recent HSE bulletin on excavations |
| 23/07/2025 | Practical Walk-through | Fuel spill response at depot | Jason, 2 operatives | Satisfactory | Identified need for more absorbent granules |
| 06/08/2025 | Discussion | Aggressive dog encounters on site | All field staff | Useful session | Shared tips for dealing with dogs at properties |
| 21/08/2025 | Desktop Exercise | Environmental incident - silt in watercourse | Aaron, Sean (HSQE) | Completed | EA notification procedures confirmed |
| 04/09/2025 | Office Test | Fire alarm test (scheduled) | All Northampton staff | Evacuated in 2.5 mins | Fire drills confirmed up to date |
| 17/09/2025 | Toolbox Talk | Asbestos awareness - old pipe lagging | Mains teams (8) | Good awareness | Everyone knew to stop work and report |
| Q4 2025 (To Date) | |||||
| 02/10/2025 | Discussion | Winter preparation planning | Supervisors meeting | Action list created | Grit bins ordered, cold weather PPE checked |
| 10/10/2025 | Practical Review | Emergency lighting check - depot and office | Jason, maintenance | All working | Two emergency lights replaced as precaution |
| 15/10/2025 | Toolbox Talk | Slips, trips and falls - darker mornings | All available (12) | Timely reminder | Head torches issued to those needing them |
| 18/10/2025 | Communication | Review of emergency contact list | Leanne (Admin) | Updated | Three mobile numbers changed, list redistributed |
| 23/10/2025 | Desktop Discussion | What if? - Anglian Water major incident support request | Aaron, Jason | Scenarios discussed | Confirmed our capability to provide emergency tanker support |
| Scheduled November-December | |||||
| 08/11/2025 | Toolbox Talk | Working in wet conditions | All teams | Planned | - |
| 22/11/2025 | Office Test | Building security - intruder response | Office staff | Planned | - |
| 05/12/2025 | Annual Review | Emergency preparedness assessment | Directors + HSQE | Planned | - |
| 19/12/2025 | Practical | Winter driving assessment | Selected drivers | Planned | - |
Types of Emergency Preparedness Activities¶
Toolbox Talks: Brief (10-15 minute) discussions during regular team briefings, often reactive to current conditions or recent incidents in the water industry.
Desktop Exercises/Reviews: Management discussions about "what if" scenarios, usually informal but documented.
Practical Elements: Hands-on activities incorporated into normal work routines - checking equipment, walking through procedures.
Office Tests: IT failures, power cuts, security incidents - tested when opportunities arise or during quiet periods.
Communication Tests: WhatsApp group cascade, emergency contact verification - done informally but recorded.
4. Performance Summary (Year to October 2025)¶
| Metric | Target | Actual YTD | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency preparedness activities | Monthly activity | 19 completed | 🟢 Exceeding |
| Communication test response rate | >75% | 90% average | 🟢 Good |
| Staff engagement | Good participation | High engagement | 🟢 Positive |
| Real incidents requiring emergency response | Monitor only | 4 minor | 🟢 Well managed |
Real Incidents Managed (2025)¶
- February 2025: BT cable strike in Kingsthorpe - no service disruption, BT attended same day
- May 2025: Customer water supply interrupted during valve work - bottled water provided within 30 minutes
- July 2025: Minor hydraulic oil leak from grab lorry - contained immediately, no environmental impact
- September 2025: Resident complaint about noise escalated to threats - police informed, work completed safely with police awareness
5. Key Emergency Contacts¶
Internal:
- Aaron Mason (Director): Mobile
- Jason May (Supervisor): Mobile
- Office: 01604 763641
- Out of hours: Via WhatsApp group
Utilities:
- Anglian Water Operations: 03457 145 145
- Affinity Water: 0345 357 2399
- Cadent Gas Emergency: 0800 111 999
- UK Power Networks: 0800 31 63 105
- BT Openreach Damage: 0800 023 2023
Emergency Services:
- Emergency Services: 999
- Police (non-emergency): 101
- Environment Agency: 0800 80 70 60
- HSE Reporting: 0345 300 9923
6. Key Learning Points from 2025 Programme¶
What's Working Well:
- Informal toolbox talks during morning briefings get better engagement than formal sessions
- "What if" discussions help supervisors think through scenarios
- Testing things when opportunities arise (e.g., power cut) provides realistic practice
- WhatsApp group ensures rapid communication to all staff
- Simple procedures that people can actually remember
Continuous Improvement:
- Emergency kit checks now part of van inspection routine
- Contact lists updated monthly by admin team
- New starters receive emergency briefing as part of induction
- Lessons from other water companies' incidents discussed at toolbox talks
7. Office Emergency Arrangements¶
The Northampton headquarters has established procedures for:
- Fire evacuation (drills current and documented separately)
- Power failure (UPS systems tested January 2025)
- IT system failure (cloud backup tested May 2025)
- Security incidents (procedures reviewed November 2025)
- Severe weather affecting office access
8. Evidence of Preparedness¶
While formal drill records may be limited, emergency preparedness is demonstrated through:
- Regular toolbox talk attendance records
- WhatsApp group message history showing cascade tests
- Equipment check sheets showing emergency kit inspections
- Real incident responses handled successfully
- Meeting minutes referencing emergency preparedness discussions
- Updated emergency contact lists
- Current insurance documentation
- Valid first aid certificates for designated staff
This document forms part of A M Water Services Limited's Integrated Management System and should be read in conjunction with the IMS Manual (MAN_01) and relevant Standard Operating Procedures.
Audit trail¶
| Date | Action | By | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prior | See Document Control table above | — | Historical revisions recorded separately |
| 24/04/2026 | Rev 3 drafted | Sean Ashton, HSQE Consultant | 2026 annual refresh. Standardised doc-control header. Added downloadable companion file. Cross-referenced APP_05 (Risk Register), APP_09 (COSHH), APP_10 (Legal Register) where relevant. Audit trail regularised. |
How this document is approved
This document is maintained under AMWS's continuous-compliance model. Substantive revisions are reviewed and signed off by the Directors at the standing weekly Director / HSQE compliance call (Sean Ashton, Onyx + Leanne Mason). Currency, cross-references and minor edits are checked at the monthly Onyx site visit. The annual Management Review (September) provides the strategic-level confirmation. Compliance is therefore continuous, not gated on a single annual meeting.
This document forms part of A M Water Services Limited's Integrated Management System. Paper copies are uncontrolled when printed.
Local controlled copy
Word version of this controlled document (for offline / paper records):
The page above is the master source — the Word doc is a snapshot for offline use.