Business continuity planning for pandemic scenarios In October 2005 I wrote a detailed paper that discussed some of the possible impacts arising from a pandemic and which outlined things that organisations can and should do to strengthen their business continuity capability. The content of that paper remains valid and it should be revisited. Much has been written about a pandemic since October 2005 and many countries have undertaken significant planning largely aligned with the plans and procedures promulgated by the World Health Organization (WHO). Many organisations have also established pandemic planning teams and some of the major international companies are well advanced in their preparations. All of this is encouraging, but it has been matched with the spread of avian ‘flu in poultry and deaths arising from contact with infected poultry. Of possibly the greatest concern is the knowledge that the H5N1 strain maps very closely to the H1N1 strain of 1918 which did indeed mutate and cause enormous loss of life. The need to plan is non-negotiable and pressure is now coming from new directions such as insurers and the legal profession. The suggestion has been made that any organisation in Australia that fails to plan for a pandemic may be in breach of its duty of care and face subsequent litigation in the event of its employees suffering. If one considers a post-pandemic world with a reduced workforce it is certain that organisations which showed care and concern for their employees will be the employers of choice in a potentially highly competitive market. For public companies the threat of legal action against directors and senior officers is ever present and exacerbated in the face of a pandemic. The good news is that strategies are beginning to evolve – practical steps that can be taken to provide real business resilience. None of us can stop a pandemic if it occurs, but we can try and lessen its spread – containment – and lessen its impact upon our organisations if it should occur. Let us begin by considering what should be done now: 1. Recognise that this is all about people issues. These are often overlooked in business continuity management and plans, in spite of the fact that they consistently rate highly as a source of business continuity issues. Planning must examine and accommodate: a) Effective knowledge management – identify, collect, maintain and protect all essential corporate knowledge. This may include the need to conduct a vital records analysis. Do not forget working documents, files on computer C: drives, etc. b) Effective succession planning – do not forget recent retirees in compiling possible lists. c) Cross-skilling. d) Distributing vital processes across regionally dispersed offices. 2. Establish flexible working practices particularly focussing upon enabling key people to work from home. Recognise, however, that if you expect people to do significant work from home that you also have a responsibility to conduct a workplace inspection and ensure that the conditions are ergonomically acceptable and do not introduce any occupational health and safety (OHS) issues. You will also need to address security of information both at the home site and during transmission and this may involve establishing facilities such as a Virtual Private Network. A related issue is making it possible to access internal intranets by personnel working from home. 3. Begin, now, to introduce into the workplace good health and hygiene practices that will contribute towards containment. This should encompass the following: a) Effective cleansing of hands – 60 seconds with soap and water, or the use of one of the alcohol-based hand sterilisers. Some organisations are placing containers of hand sterilising agents at workplace entry and exit points. b) Hygienic cough and sneeze management – cover mouth and nose. You may wish to consider obtaining stocks of face masks, but be aware of the need to ensure that they meet ISO or local standards and that they fit the wearer properly. c) Maintain a hygienic workplace – wipe down desks, keyboards, phones, etc, with sterilising agents. It is possible to obtain products that have a significant life. d) Social –distancing – restrict physical contact such as hand shakes, hugs, etc. Limit use of closed meeting rooms and large meetings. Maintain a reasonable distance from each other as far as possible (1.5 metres is recommended). e) Encourage responsible sickness behaviour – if you are running a fever do not come to work. If members of your family are sick try to practice social distancing at home and be particularly cautious towards fellow workers. If a supervisor believes an employee is unwell he/she should send that person home. If you do contract the pandemic disease and recover recognise that you are now a highly valuable member of the workforce. f) Consider the introduction of health monitoring stations throughout the workplace – this may incorporate temperature monitoring or other fever scanning mechanisms. g) Encourage your employees to have standard ‘flu injections – remaining free from ordinary ‘flu will help to maintain a better ability to withstand other diseases. 4. Establish regular and effective communication with your workforce and their families – show that you are actively planning and that you care. You should consider: a) Erecting signs that illustrate the previous hygiene and social interaction issues. b) Using an intranet, newsletters, etc, to clearly outline what the organisation is doing to prepare and what it will do in the event of a pandemic. Make sure that you address economic issues such as will employees be paid if sent home – this is developing as a major concern throughout the workforce. c) Ensuring that all contact information is up to date including next of kin details. d) State what policies/conditions will prevail if employees must stay home to care for sick family members. 5. Verify the preparedness and business continuity status of your supply chain – suppliers and customers. In this context you really do need to think very broadly, not just the company that supplies your stationery. You need to quiz utility providers, telcos, banks, insurers, contractors, emergency services, etc. 6. Examine your insurance policies. Make sure that you understand the full extent of any cover provided as well as any limitations. Make sure that you have fully complied with any disclosure requirements. If in doubt speak NOW to your insurers. 7. Consider whether you need to establish in-house accommodation. Enabling employees to stay within the workplace proved an effective and well regarded measure for some organisations during the SARS outbreak. Employees felt that they were less exposed to the virus through not frequenting public areas and they also saw it as a means to limit the possibility of taking the infection into their homes. This can be particularly effective if aligned with some means of assisting families to obtain essential supplies without significant public exposure. 8. Consider whether you should attempt to access/stockpile anti-viral medications such as Tamiflu. The question of attempting to manage medication is, however, a complex one and should be approached with great caution. As noted above, you should encourage your personnel to obtain standard ‘flu vaccinations. 9. Encourage you employees to stay informed – key web sites for Australian businesses include: a) World Health Organisation – www.who.int This is by no means an exhaustive list, but each of these measures will help to strengthen your organisation’s business resilience and not just against an Avian ‘flu pandemic. They are all practical steps which are plain good sense. Leslie T Whittet MACS MBCI, managing consultant, Leslie Whittet & Associates Pty Ltd, Tel: 61 2 6292 7822 whittetl@netspeed.com.au
•Date: 7th April 2006 • Region: Australia/World • Type: Article •Topic: BC general |
