It may be possible to stabilise or remove the contents from the mode of transport, without affecting the stability of the mode of transport or worsening conditions for any casualties. Carrying out these activities may improve the access to and egress from the mode of transport for emergency responders and casualties. If the contents are relocated, their original position should be recorded for investigation purposes, and their new location chosen so that they do not impact on the handling of the incident.
Entering the mode of transport should take into account the location and stability of its contents. Choosing an access point carefully should avoid the contents falling onto casualties or emergency responders.
Some common situations where contents may fall include:
- Luggage in a passenger aircraft’s overhead lockers
- Objects in an inverted passenger vehicle’s tailgate compartment
- Where loads in a curtain sided large goods vehicle (LGV) have shifted and are bulging
Assistance may be required from fire and rescue service specialist teams, or other agencies, including:
- Aircraft engineers
- Vehicle recovery companies
- Highways agencies
- Road policing teams
- British Transport Police
- Environmental agencies
- Port or harbour authorities
- Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
If the mode of transport is operated by a haulage company, their direct involvement for dealing with the contents may be required. For example, they may be able to provide another mode of transport to remove the contents from the scene of operations.