1. Critical Incident Management Policy
   1.1 Introduction
   1.2 Purpose
   1.3 Application
   1.4 Scope
   1.5 Accountabilities and Responsibilities
2. Critical Incident Management Categories
   2.1 Events, Incidents and Critical Incidents
   2.2 Incident Coding
3. Critical Incident Management Team
   3.1 Incident Convenors
   3.2 Incident Leads
   3.3 Incident Response Group
   3.4 Critical Incident Response Group
4. Critical Incident Management Process
   4.1 Activation and Flowchart
   4.2 Communication
   4.3 Campus and Service Closure
5. Critical Incident Management Mitigation and Recovery
   5.1 Critical Incident Management Framework
6. Appendices
   6.1 Glossary and Terms

1.0 Critical Incident Management Policy

1.1 Introduction

Australian Catholic University engages with a large number of staff, students, contractors, volunteers and visitors. It operates and participates in a broad range of activities across Australia and overseas. The University recognises that an Event, Incident or Critical Incident may take place either on site at an ACU campus or facility, or off-site, and may happen at any time of the day or night.

The Critical Incident Management Policy encompasses the management of Events, Incidents and Critical Incidents from a human, hazard identification, and risk management perspective. It details the arrangements that apply to Critical Incident Management in the context of the University’s Risk Management Framework.

1.2 Purpose

This Policy provides the guidance for ACU to plan for, respond to and manage Events, Incidents and Critical Incidents ensuring the University meets its duty of care obligations in providing the highest possible standard of health and safety and upholds its legislative obligations in relation to its staff, students, contractors, volunteers and visitors to ensure people are safe, and that ACU’s reputation is maintained.

1.3 Application

This Policy applies to ACU and is subject to all applicable laws, regulations and codes.

This Policy and its related Procedures demonstrate ACU’s commitment to:

• protecting the health and safety of staff, students, contractors, volunteers, visitors and the ACU community both in Australia and overseas;
• identifying and preventing Events, Incidents and Critical Incidents;
• allocating appropriate resources and building relationships to manage Events, Incidents and Critical Incidents in compliance with ACU’s mission, legal obligations and standards;
• delivering the highest possible standard of health and safety for staff, students, contractors, volunteers, visitors, the ACU community and the public;
• managing its reputation for the benefit of students, staff, and stakeholders; and
• evaluating the effectiveness, adequacy and ongoing suitability of its Event, Incident and Critical Incident response

1.4 Scope

This Policy forms part of the Critical Incident Management Program which is the schedule of activities to ensure that the Critical Incident Management Policy, Procedures, roles and staff remain aligned. The Program falls within the overarching Critical Incident Management Framework.

This Policy applies to staff, students, contractors, volunteers and visitors while they are participating in University-related activities, both on and off campus, within Australia or overseas.

Nothing in this Policy overrides the Code of Conduct for All Staff Policy or Student Conduct and Discipline Policy.

1.5 Accountabilities and Responsibilities

The Deputy Chief Operating Officer, as the Responsible Officer for this Policy, is responsible for the establishment, operation, review and testing of the Critical Incident Management Policy and Procedures, including scheduling and coordinating scenario testing at least annually.

The Chief Operating Officer & Deputy Vice-Chancellor, as Governing Authority, will raise awareness of the Critical Incident Management Policy and Procedures to ensure that all staff, students, contractors, volunteers and visitors comply with their requirements.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Innovation) and the Director, Human Resources will also ensure students and staff receive information about this Policy and its related Procedures as part of their induction or orientation to the University.

Pre-defined members of the Incident Response Group and the Critical Incident Response Group will be trained for their roles and responsibilities within the Critical Incident Management Policy and Procedures. It is their responsibility to ensure staff within their business units are aware of their responsibilities to deliver the Policy and Procedures.

Staff who support the University’s business continuity and recovery processes are required to familiarise themselves with the Critical Incident Management Policy and Procedures.

2.0 Critical Incident Management Categories

2.1 Events, Incidents and Critical Incidents

The following criteria apply to the categorisation of Events, Incidents and Critical Incidents.

2.2 Incident Coding

Due to the broad definition of what comprises a Critical Incident, ACU is committed to applying the International Coding of Incidents to increase its response preparedness and effectiveness.

3.0 Critical Incident Management Team

3.1 Incident Convenors

Incidents will be allocated to one of the Incident Convenors based on these four categories -

Students, Staff, Physical, Virtual.

Incident Convenors will manage the Incident and notify the relevant Incident Lead.

3.2 Incident Leads

The Incident Lead works with the Incident Convenor and activates the Incident Response Group as required.

3.3 Incident Response Group

The Incident Response Group can provide additional expertise and resources via local knowledge and skill to support the Incident Lead in managing an Incident, including recovery processes and access to required resources.

3.4 Critical Incident Response Group

The Chief Operating Officer is the Critical Incident Convenor and can declare a Critical Incident at their discretion and activate the Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG) if required.

The Critical Incident Response Group will include officers of the University who can provide their expertise, resources and support in managing a Critical Incident. The Critical Incident Response Group will oversee Critical Incident and recovery processes in conjunction with the Critical Incident Convenor.

4.0 Critical Incident Management Process

4.1 Activation and Flowchart

Event

When an Event occurs it is managed on campus by relevant campus resources or local emergency services. The Event is either resolved or escalated to an Incident and the National Security Centre (NSC) is notified.

Incident

Upon being notified of an Incident, the National Security Centre will notify the five Incident Convenors and the Critical Incident Convenor. The Incident will be allocated to one of the five Incident Convenors based on the category of student, staff, physical, virtual or reputation.

The Incident Convenor triages the Incident and contacts the relevant Incident Lead to manage as required.

The Incident Lead manages the Incident and activates the Incident Response Group if required. The Incident is either resolved or escalated to a Critical Incident.

Critical Incident

The Critical Incident Convenor manages the Critical Incident and activates the Critical Incident Response Group if required. The Critical Incident Convenor notifies the Vice-Chancellor and Senior Executive Group.

See flowchart at Appendix 6.2.

4.2 Communication

All communication concerning an Incident or a Critical Incident will be coordinated by the Incident Convenor (Reputation) - the Director of Marketing and External Relations, in consultation with the Critical Incident Convenor and other Incident Convenors and Incident Leads.

As per the ACU Email Distribution List Policy, staff designated as ‘Convenor’ or ‘Critical Incident Convenor’ (and their designated proxies) within the Critical Incident Management Policy and Procedures are authorised to send to all Dynamic DLs. They are:

• Chief Operating Officer & Deputy Vice-Chancellor
• Deputy Chief Operating Officer
• Director Human Resources
• Director Student Administration
• Director Information Technology
• Director Marketing & External Relations
• Director Properties and Facilities
• Associate Director, HR Business Partnering
• Associate Director, Student Systems
• Associate Director, IT End User Computing Services
• Associate Director Communication and Creative Services
• Associate Director, Facilities Management
• Associate Director,Financial Operations
• National Manager, Governance

4.3 Campus and Service Closure

The Chief Operating Officer as Critical Incident Convenor, or the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), following consultation with each other and the relevant Associate Vice-Chancellor or Campus Dean (or their delegate), can approve the closure of a Campus or Service.

5.0 Critical Incident Management Mitigation and Recovery

The University will identify strategies to facilitate the protection of people and assets and recovery of Critical Business Functions within agreed timeframes. This includes strategies to mitigate the impacts of an Incident or Critical Incident, including:

• protecting University property and infrastructure;
• stabilising the situation;
• continuing, resuming and recovering Critical Business Functions; and
• reducing the likelihood, length and impact of future disruption Strategies will examine:
• response and recovery team structures and critical roles, including activation, escalation and communication procedures;
• Critical Incident Management Policy and Procedures;
• response action plans; and
• redundancy options for physical sites, operational infrastructure and technolog

5.1 Critical Incident Management Framework

The Critical Incident Management Framework will be regularly reviewed to ensure it:

• facilitates prompt action when adverse trends are detected or a non-conformity occurs; and
• continues to be an effective system for managing disruption-related ri Annual scenario exercises and recovery infrastructure testing will assist to:
• build familiarisation with staff roles, responsibilities, processes and available tools;
• identify practical program improvements; and
• provide a high level of stakeholder assurance in the University’s recovery capability.

6.0 Appendices

6.1 Glossary and Terms

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Policy

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