Security Risk Assessment for rail facilities: Keeping your facility safe

The nature of the rail industry lends itself to vulnerabilities, particularly when security-sensitive dangerous goods are involved. Railway carriers and loaders need to mitigate these risks by complying with rail security regulations. The Transportation of Dangerous Goods by Rail Security (TDGRS) regulations, issued on May 15, 2019, by the Canadian Government, was created to help rail carriers and loaders mitigate risk and deal with security-related incidents involving dangerous goods.

Emerging threats range from cyber-attacks and security breaches to railcar break-ins, tampering, and even derailments. Depending on the transported goods, railways may even be targeted by terrorists. Due to insufficient protection and surveillance, some incidents may end up not being identified or reported.

The traditional security practices of detection and prevention are only a piece of the puzzle for rail security.

A Security Risk Assessment (SRA) is required to help operators identify scenarios that reflect emerging threats, mitigate risks and ensure compliance with TDGRS regulations. An SRA considers the operations in detail, identifies deficiencies, and provides a proactive approach to security. Once completed, railway carriers and railway loaders are encouraged to create an action plan to manage and address identified risks and vulnerabilities. Once you have developed an action plan, the next step is to create a security plan that includes a description of current security program elements, associated measures, and related documents.

A significant change in the regulation is the requirement for security plan awareness training for railway carrier and loader employees to increase their ability to respond to security-related issues.

It can be challenging to comply with these regulations while maintaining the flexibility to change operations and security as new threats develop quickly. Once you have completed your security risk assessment and written your plan, you need to train your employees on the plan. The plan must also be reviewed and updated based on organizational changes, emerging threats, and training on updates will be required as they occur. Annual exercising of the plan is recommended to test its effectiveness and identify the need for updates. At GHD, we have the flexibility and knowledge to identify and address our client's individual needs. With a team of specialists, from security experts to emergency managers, we are intimately familiar with new regulations, security risk assessments, plan requirements, training requirements and program upkeep. We also can assess current security plans, risk assessments, and site assessments against the new regulations. GHD holds the solution to set you and your team up for resiliency by updating or developing programs and providing the associated framework that addresses a rail security incident at your facility.

To create and implement a customized security action plan and rail security plan, we work directly alongside you and your stakeholders to conduct a security assessment workshop that applies Transport Canada’s suggested methodology.

We understand proper education and training is critical for the successful implementation of any program. By simplifying complex and diverse issues with custom-tailored training programs, a clear message of expectations will be set between you and your stakeholders.

Our custom training programs consist of various delivery styles, captivating graphics and imagery, and detailed learning objectives such as the following:

• Security roles
• Training requirements
• Locations
• Class enrollments

We are committed to not only to the implementation and training of your program but to long-term success and sustainability. That is why we are here to assist you in plan development, implementation, and multi-year exercise planning. Ensuring you have the tools available to meet all regulatory needs, year and after year.

Sarah Hassanally has thirteen years' experience in emergency planning writing and emergency response. She is an ICS Canada instructor who has been working in exercise facilitation and participation for ten years. She has worked for national and international oil and gas, chemical, transportation and government clients in exercise design, planning, facilitation and training development.