Disasters can happen at any time and sometimes when you least expect it. Whether it is a natural calamity or technological disturbance, it helps to know that your establishment is ready to deal with them.
Companies and organisations need to implement a mitigation process for business continuity risks. Keep in mind that many consumers are dependent on the existence of businesses, hence, emergencies can greatly affect their daily routine. For this reason, your business should have a plan ready in case of unexpected adversities.
The following are the importance of disaster recovery plans:
Below is a 5-step guideline on how your management should make a disaster recovery plan:
The first thing to do is to list down all possible threats that may happen including any natural, structural and technological emergencies. Your team should consider the common natural disasters that typically happen like bushfires, earthquakes, floodings and strong typhoons.
Other emergencies may pertain to the structural aspect of your business like cracks on walls, wiring and plumbing conditions. Some may also consider power outages and cyber failures as threats to their businesses.
Depending on the size of your company, you may assign some employees to lead their teams in case of disasters and emergencies. You may assign a few as fire wardens and first aid managers.
When choosing the right people for the tasks, remember to also assess the company’s vulnerability to every situation. Find people who can assume the responsibility and guarantee to lessen the burden in case of disaster. As well as you can finalize the experienced professionals who have completed first aid CPR courses.
Every locality is embodied with governmental and non-governmental organisations that can readily provide support in case of calamities and emergencies. It is highly recommended to draw a contract with them to ensure that you get the necessary support during your recovery phase.
The next step is to provide every employee with the information that can help prepare them in case of unexpected events. Let them know what steps they should do in every situation.
They should be informed about where to find essential things like fire extinguishers and emergency kits. This also includes evaluation plans and the members of the contingency ready team.
Lastly, train your employees. This includes fire and earthquake drills, fire warden training, first aid training and other health and safety training programs. Schedule drills regularly and make sure that every employee will comply with them.
A disaster recovery plan typically involves 4 stages.
The prevention phase includes the planning stage – the what, who, when, why and how of preventing massive distraction in case of a disaster.
The second phase is the preparation where equipment, tools and guidelines are put in order. This phase ensures that every employee knows what to do and how to go through certain unavoidable emergencies in a workplace.
In many instances, employees go through drills and training to ensure their preparedness. Some employees are assigned particular responsibilities to minimise unwarranted decision-making during a disaster.
During the mitigation phase, it is best if employees know how to act on any disastrous event. They should be familiar with first aid and emergency responses. This phase should ensure that losses and damages are decreased if not eliminated.
The recovery phase includes rebuilding and reestablishing any losses or damages incurred during an emergency or disaster. It should include all factors that left an impact on the business such as economic and infrastructural damages. In case, some employees are psychologically and emotionally affected, this should also be addressed.
After a disaster, implementing your disaster recovery plan should help you gain back the lost momentum of your business. To do this, it is essential to determine the functions, areas of the building and positions that need priority.
Make sure your priorities will include the general needs of the entire company. Leave the departmental issues to your managers. Oversee the recovery plan to restore the functionality of the business.
Contact Workplace Emergency Management today and learn how you can effectively implement a disaster recovery plan!
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