When an incident occurs that could affect the community, our employees and contractors, the environment, our assets and/or reputation, our emergency preparedness program facilitates a consistent and effective response.
Our 24-hour emergency line provides the public, emergency responders and customers with immediate access to information, and allows us to promptly initiate a response when needed. The 1-877-262-2111 number is posted on signs at all our facilities, included on all public notification material and displayed on huskyenergy.com. Some sites post a local 24-hour emergency number and calls to that line receive the same level of response and information as the corporate phone number.
We are always improving our planning and compliance programs, implementing additional training for our response teams. We incorporate what we learn from previous events as we evolve these programs.
Preparedness
We understand that regular cross-departmental exercises and consistent, repeatable processes are integral to being prepared for, and responding to, an emergency. Where appropriate, our ability to coordinate with third-party emergency responders is tested in major exercises.
In 2018 we conducted a full-scale response exercise with our Lloydminster heavy oil employees, inviting regulators, Indigenous neighbours and other agencies to observe. In the Atlantic region we participated in a response exercise with our peers, the regulator and other agencies. At our Lima Refinery, firefighting teams from across the company were brought together to participate in a training session.
To enhance our readiness at facilities where there is the potential for a higher-consequence event, our comprehensive emergency management program includes hazard identification and planning, as well as equipment sourcing and training specific to those sites.
At relevant Canadian locations, on-site supervisors have been identified and trained to respond to spills.
We share what we’ve learned, both internally and with our partners, including local authorities and agencies. Reviews undertaken after an incident provide a rigorous framework to analyze events and determine lessons that can be applied elsewhere, continually improving our response. We participate in additional training as an active member of spill cooperatives and preparedness programs.
Response
We evaluate our local response requirements using area-specific hazard and risk assessments, tailoring training and equipment for individual emergency response teams. These teams are supported by local management and a multi-discipline corporate emergency support team.
Our spill preparedness and response training programs build internal capacity by ensuring dedicated employees have the knowledge and skills to coordinate and sustain a response in the event of an incident, including making sure equipment that might be needed is available. In the Lloydminster area we have added six boats, three rapid deployment trailers and a wildlife trailer to our response capabilities.
We base our plans and procedures on the Incident Command System (ICS), a standard model used in Canada and internationally to provide an effective emergency response across all operations. It focuses a response so that the most important actions are addressed by priority and under clear accountabilities. More than 850 employees completed various levels of ICS training in 2018, including new role-specific courses.
We review, update and test all Emergency Response Plans (ERPs) at least once a year. While we have ERPs for all facilities and operating areas, we also maintain plans that relate to specific hazards, such as geographic response plans for potential spills, pre-wildfire plans and well and source control plans.