Last week’s horrific events in Mumbai act as a painful reminder of the need for disaster planning.

Unfortunately, we often cannot anticipate the violent actions of others. We may have more advance warning of a natural disaster or disease outbreak, but unexpected circumstances will undoubtedly arise. Whether potential risks stem from a natural disaster, violence, infectious disease or elsewhere, businesses need to be prepared in case the unthinkable happens.

First and foremost, employees must feel safe at work. Fear over safety not only interferes with well-being, it also impacts the ability to concentrate on work tasks and therefore impacts productivity and health.

Planning for a potential emergency can be an extensive process. FEMA defines emergency management as a “dynamic process” that includes “training, conducting drills, testing equipment and coordinating activities with the community.”

The focus of an emergency plan will depend upon the size of the company and the industry. As a starting place, the US Department of Homeland Security suggests organizations “carefully assess how your company functions, both internally and externally, to determine which staff, materials, procedures and equipment are absolutely necessary to keep the business operating.” Their recommendations extend to assessing risks with key suppliers and risks that could impact servicing key clients.

Some areas to consider may include:

-the handling, storage and transportation of hazardous or dangerous materials
-data security
-the need for continuity for an essential service provider
-fraud, theft or criminal activity (both from internal and external sources)
-natural disaster, fire
-employee error
-terrorism
-mobile technology use

Smaller organizations may have fewer resources to devote to disaster or emergency planning. A good place to start is to compile basic supplies that may be necessary in case of an emergency. The American Red Cross makes available a supply checklist.
 
FEMA suggests that the planning process include the following steps: “establish a planning team” who will then go on to “analyze capabilities and hazards,” “develop the plan” and “implement the plan.” As with any workplace commitment to a process, emergency planning must be supported by communication material, training and the support of management and it must be integrated into the day to day functioning of the organization.

Of particular interest to HR, management and the training department is the statement in the FEMA document that says: “human error is the single largest cause of workplace emergencies and can result from: poor training, poor maintenance, carelessness, misconduct, substance abuse, fatigue.”

The details of how to implement a disaster or emergency plan cannot be captured in a short blog, but I have listed some possible areas to consider here:

-how to support employees through a crisis
-how to support employees after a crisis (including EAP’s and ensuring access to payroll)
-how to ensure data is backed up and secure
-reducing safety risks for expatriates (including personal safety training)
-scheduled rehearsal of the established plan
-communication planning

Other resources can be found in the FEMA document referenced below and on the CDC/NIOSH website.

References:

American Red Cross. “Personal Workplace Disaster Supplies Kit.” [www.redcross.org]. Obtained December 1, 2008.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). “Emergency Preparedness for Business” [www.cdc.gov]. Obtained December 1, 2008.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Every Business Should Have A Plan. Washington US: Department of Homeland Security. Obtained December 1, 2008.

Wahle, Thomas and Gregg Beatty. “Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry.” FEMA, October 1993.