Emergency teams, procedures and equipment are usually at their least proven exactly when a facility needs them most: the hours around startup. This training course addresses that gap directly, focusing on how to test and prove emergency readiness through realistic drills before hazardous operations begin, rather than assuming plans on paper will hold up in a real event.

Participants will build practical competency in planning and conducting realistic drills that test people, procedures and equipment together, and in establishing effective emergency response capability before go-live. The course also covers applying sound crisis management principles for unexpected startup events, and embedding operational safety practices from the very first hours of operation. It is delivered by Arab British Fellowship Training Academy through its Testing Emergency Response Before Startup Training Course.

By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:

• Design and conduct realistic drills to test readiness before go-live
• Establish effective emergency response capability before startup
• Apply sound crisis management principles during startup events
• Embed operational safety practices from the earliest hours of operation
• Identify and close gaps in emergency preparedness before hazardous operations begin
• Apply relevant standards and best practices to emergency preparedness for startup

Target Group

• Emergency response and crisis management professionals
• HSE teams responsible for drills and emergency planning
• Process and safety engineers involved in startup preparation
• Operational readiness and startup managers overseeing safety verification
• Engineers advancing their expertise in startup emergency preparedness

Why Startup Is the Riskiest Time to Test Emergency Plans

• Key risks specific to the startup and early operations period
• The role of Startup Emergency Preparedness in safe project transitions
• Linking emergency preparedness to overall operational readiness

Planning and Conducting Realistic Drills

• Designing realistic drills to test emergency preparedness
• Involving all relevant teams in drill scenarios
• Capturing and acting on lessons from drill performance

Building Emergency Response Capability

• Establishing effective emergency response teams and procedures
• Verifying equipment, resources and communication before startup
• Coordinating emergency response with site and regional authorities

Crisis Management During Startup

• Applying crisis management principles during startup events
• Structuring decision-making and communication during a crisis
• Managing information flow to stakeholders and authorities

Operational Safety From the First Hours

• Embedding operational safety practices from initial operation
• Reinforcing safe behaviors during the high-risk startup period
• Building a foundation for sustained safety performance

Practical Application

• Case studies in Startup Emergency Preparedness and crisis response
• Common emergency preparedness challenges before startup and practical solutions
• Lessons learned from real startup emergency preparedness experiences