Attention COMAH operators…
Since the introduction of the Control Of Major Accident Hazards regulations (COMAH) in 1999, those responsible for ensuring that UK organisations comply with these regulations have become skilled in the identification, prevention, control and mitigation of major accident hazards. Emergency plans have been constructed, exercised, reviewed and revised to a point where they are robust and resilient. Their effectiveness has been demonstrated to the regulatory authorities to the satisfaction of safety professionals and emergency planners around the UK. However, when it comes to the need for business continuity management the same organisations have a tendency to adopt one of three strategies in the face of something which can be perceived to be a ‘new initiative’: 1) Do nothing – assuming business continuity is all to do with IT systems and is mainly a financial sector process; 2) Take a closer look at business continuity management and realise that some of the 10 BCI/DRII standards are already being addressed in their existing emergency plans – meaning that some are not; or: 3) Realise that their organisation has more work to do to produce a resilient, flexible business continuity plan BUT equally recognising that, rather than start afresh, they are able to deal instead with the elements which are not covered in the COMAH plan. A little research, prior to adopting one of the above strategies may have helped the organisation justify its decision to develop a business continuity management program. It might have been discovered for example that compliance with the emerging standard for business continuity management, BS25999 could become a factor in future contract negotiations and become a coveted ‘corporate badge’ to be ‘worn’ with pride. In short, there is a need for business continuity management in organisations that already have well written and tested emergency plans……..You just might not realise it. Yet! http://www.sembutilities.co.uk/protection/
•Date: 22nd Sept 2006 • Region: UK • Type: Article •Topic: BC general |
