Planning for the Unknown

Planning for the Unknown Daphne Nuys-Hall, Technical Director, MPO

Plant owners and operators go to work each day with a plan for what they intend to accomplish. They plan for how many head of livestock are to be slaughtered, how many kgs are to be processed, and how many shipments are to leave the plant that day. But what happens when the unexpected occurs, when some or none of these can be accomplished? We cannot predict when fires may break out, a loss of power, when Mother Nature sends the worst our way, or even when there is a global pandemic – but we can plan a course of action to mitigate our losses and regain control of our businesses as quickly as possible. As we enter the fourth month of a global pandemic that has forever changed our lives the need for businesses to have in place a Business Continuity Plan has never been more relevant or necessary. Being informed and knowing what to do in the event of an emergency or outbreak will help minimize the impacts on our daily lives, work, and activities. What is a Business Continuity Plan? It is a plan that describes how an organization will continue to function during or after some kind of emergency, disaster or event. It involves planning how your key services or products can be continued, and the recovery of key business and systems. Traditionally, most business continuity plans focus on what

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will happen if the building, equipment, products or services are damaged in some way, assuming that people will be able to return to the building, or begin rebuilding, almost immediately after the event. However, during an infectious disease outbreak, issues may come up about how to keep the organization operational, and at the same time, how to protect your workers from the effects of illness. The workplace may be affected by staff absenteeism, shortages of supplies, and decreased numbers of customers.

An emergency plan specifies procedures for handling these sudden or unexpected situations. The objective is to be prepared to: • Prevent illness, fatalities and injuries. • Reduce damage to buildings, stock, and equipment. • Protect the environment and the community. • Accelerate the resumption of normal operations. The key to a successful business continuity plan lies in understanding the impact a disaster situation or outbreak could have on a business and creating policies to respond to any such impact. The first step is to perform a risk assessment. A risk assessment is an evaluation of the company’s risks and exposures. Essentially, you need to take a look at what has the potential to impact your business, which of those are most likely to happen and what is critical to your business continuing to function during that event. Remember to look at all aspects – for example, personnel, systems, site, supplies, transportation, utilities, etc.

Once you know the risks and impacts you can develop plans to work around these situations. You will need to decide on your strategy — determine what your goals are for recovery or continuance of the business. What must be done in the shortterm vs. long-term? What resources do you need to implement your plan? Specific duties, responsibilities, authority, and resources must be clearly defined. How detailed or extensive your business plan is depends on what priorities you decide upon. There may be some areas where you must maintain full operations while in others you scale back. After the plan has been developed, it is critical to circulate the plan, get feedback, and make sure that all employees know about the plan. Conduct any necessary training, especially for back-up positions and for implementing the plan itself. Everyone needs to be aware of and fully understand their role in order for the plant be effective. The same as with your Recall Plan, you need to test your Business Continuity Plan at least once a year to ensure that it is effective and still reflects the priorities and needs of the business. When critical services and products cannot be delivered, consequences can be severe. All organizations are at risk and face potential disaster if unprepared. A Business Continuity Plan is a tool that allows businesses to not only to moderate risk, but also continuously deliver products and services despite disruption.

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