Rescue drill in the shafts of the Toulouse metro
VINCI Facilities Midi Pyrénées Industrie et Transport has conducted a rescue drill in the shafts along the Toulouse metro lines together with the Groupe d’Intervention en Milieu Périlleux (GRIMP – search and rescue in hazardous environments) unit and its customer TISSEO. The goal was to raise technicians’ awareness of the risks and of the complexity of this type of operation.
“To carry out maintenance work on the air extraction and smoke extraction systems, our technicians regularly climb down into these shafts, which can be up to 30 metres deep and are accessed via a single caged ladder,” says Marine Toletti, QHSE coordinator at VINCI Facilities Industrie.
The joint drill carried out with the special fire brigade unit (GRIMP) was primarily designed to survey the shafts in order to prevent accidents. In addition, this type of drill gives the fire brigade a welcome opportunity to practice and to explain its emergency response procedures.
The drill took place in two phases. In the first, all participants surveyed the shaft to identify obstacles to an emergency response or to evacuating an injured person. Following that, the technicians played the role of the person in danger.
A total of 10 people from the GRIMP, the customer and all regional division QHSE coordinators took part in the drill.
“The drill also showed us that in addition to safety, we need to think about how to organise operations when we have to bring up 60 kg pumps to change them,” said Wilfried Mayet, QHSE coordinator at VINCI Facilities Tertiaire.
The initiative showcased our best practices in raising workplace safety awareness.
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