P2 Operations reviews (OM E1)
P2 Operations Reviews (OM E1)
Purpose
This document provides for:
safe and effective Operations Reviews being carried out following significant NZFS
operations.
Requirements for Operations Reviews
Introduction
An Operations Review is the process by which the National Commander, Fire Region Mangers,
and Chief Fire Officers can analyse a particular incident to identify ways of improving safety,
effectiveness and efficiency.
It is expected that Regions and Districts will take an active approach to learning and look for
opportunities for Operations Review rather than wait for an event trigger to occur.
Legislative requirements
Operations Reviews contribute to New Zealand Fire Service (NZFS) meeting the following
legislative requirements:
section 17O (b) of the
Fire Service Act 1975, which requires the National Commander to
ensure that the NZFS is maintained in a state of operational efficiency
The
Health and safety in Employment Act 1992, which requires all places of work to
- identify hazards
- investigate serious harm and near miss accidents.
Objectives
Operations Reviews provide an objective, documented analysis of an incident/event or an
aspect of an incident/event in order to:
improve operational effectiveness and efficiency in an end-to-end service delivery
under the Official Information Act
improve operational procedures, particularly in regard to safety and best practice
achieve compliance with the
Fire Service Act 1975
provide a measure of operational performance
identify training needs
provide evidence of hazard management as part of the NZFS Health and Safety policies
Released
as described in the
NZFS Health and Safety Manual.
Criteria
Operations Reviews are to be carried out when directed by the sponsor, which may be the
National Commander, Fire Region Manager, or Chief Fire Officer. This will include:
all responses to regional civil defence emergencies
NZFS Department of Operations and Training
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P2 Operations reviews (OM E1)
all significant or major incidents resulting in:
- 4th alarm or greater
- substantial community disruption or loss
- substantial business impact
- substantial cultural, heritage or environmental impact
- long term loss to communities and or businesses.
anytime it is considered that the outcome will benefit the whole NZFS, including when
there will be significant benefit from the sharing of information obtained from incidents
Act
that have been handled successfully
when recommended by the Regional or National Health & Safety Advisor in preference
to an accident investigation following a serious harm accident or near miss
when equipment or procedures have not operated in the manner intended
NZFS operational assets, including equipment and appliances suffer significant damage,
(significant damage is where any potential insurance claim exceeds $2000)
civil disturbances where NZFS resources are used.
Information
Notes:
When firefighters receive serious harm at an operations incident, then the accident investigation
process will form part of the Operations Review.
Incidents that meet the criteria for an Operations Review, may also meet the criteria for
requiring a Serious and Unusual Incident Report, as listed in
P3 Fire investigation.
Official
Reporting
the
An Operations Review will have its limits defined by Terms of Reference provided by the
sponsor. These are to be as specific as possible in order to focus on key issues.
Review reports will be forwarded to the sponsor who will be responsible for developing a
Corrective Action Plan and ensuring its completion. Where a corrective action plan identifies
under
national issues and/or actions, these are to be referred to the Director of Operations & Training.
An electronic copy of the report can be attached to the incident report in SMS, similar to a Fire
Investigation Report.
The report will be considered finished when all actions in the corrective action plan have been
signed off as complete and a copy filed at Region and with the Information Centre, NHQ.
Released
Limits of Operations Reviews
Operations Reviews are not to be used to investigate:
Fire safety issues. If an area of concern is identified, a separate Fire Investigation Report
will be required
The actions of individuals. If areas of concern are identified, a separate inquiry may be
implemented.
NZFS Department of Operations and Training
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