Business Continuity Plan Paula Munoz, University of Pheonix Course: SEC/330– Industrial Security Craig Barnhart August 9, 2010 The Phoenix Chemical Company is a large industrial manufacturer for the chemical resins and plasticizers and employs more than 5,000 employees in three separate locations. Its headquarters is in Boise, Idaho, research and development is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and all warehousing, manufacturing, as well as transportation distribution operations are in East Saint Louis, Illinois.
Phoenix’s progressive management includes a continual upgrading of all systems punctuated with safety inspections, monitored quality checks, and consistent traffic follow-ups. Phoenix’s emergency management program has four basic concepts; mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2010). These phases are in direct synchronization with federal government concepts. To ensure successful response, Phoenix has long recognized its’ efforts should remain focused on planning, preparing, and rehearsing all four phases of emergency management.
The key aspect to ensuring the safety and wellness of our employees and our neighboring communities is to ensure purposeful disaster response and to exercise an in-depth and comprehensive business continuity plan, identifying the following key components: coordinated response, identification of resources necessary to meet employee, family, and community needs, identification of key personnel and decision-makers who will be responsible for implementing the business continuity plan, and ensuring the plan meets organizational needs to normalize operations as a means of protecting key fiscal assets and capital.
Immediate Response One never knows when or where an emergency is going to happen or for what reasons. For these reasons alone, it is critical that an organization, especially a larger one, develop a crisis management plan designed to immediately respond to an incident. This plan is location specific to assist in determining specific strategies in the event of a crisis. The plan prepares the organization for the risks associated with the geographic location and operations associated with Pheonix Chemical Company.
The plan identifies specific procedures, tactics, and techniques related to response and the aftermath for associated scenarios. The plan ensures the organization will remain focused on recovery following a catastrophe. This reactive crisis management plan focuses on and includes internal and external integration. “The key to crisis management and responding appropriately and effectively to all incidents is to cover all the various scenarios that could impact a site, business or company, and put plans in place for how each scenario will be addressed” (Le Pree, 2007, p. 2).
Each department within Phoenix has a response committee prepared to assemble as soon as an emergency happens so that they can meet to review the probable event or disaster scenario and then determine the proper course of action to mitigate the situation. It is the responsibility of each of these departments to notify the Pheonix chain of command of their action and decisions, while at the same time, contact local law enforcement and emergency responders. This particular portion of the plan and execution is essential in the timing of a company’s emergency evacuations within their structure and within the community.
A major aspect of crisis management and disaster response includes planning to stay in business after an event occurs (Le Pree, 2007). The purpose of creating and developing immediate response coordination is to ensure Phoenix remain operation while focusing on recovery operations through and after the emergency situation. Steps to safeguard the organization and its assets are also a part of crisis management. Without proper integration of an immediate response plan, the actions taken can become a solitary approach, which is not an efficient way to handle emergency response or crisis.
For this reason it is important to keep the process integrated vertically and horizontally (Le Pree, 2007, p. 4). Essentially, developing plans and drills, and employing those strategies from one department to another, keep an organization safe and in business. By simply integrating these emergency or incident responses with internal and external parties will help processors cope when a crisis occurs. Resourcing the Aftermath In the event of a major disaster it is critical for Phoenix to identify the resources necessary to meet the needs of displaced workers, injured personnel, address related family and community needs.
Phoenix will maintain command control elements in execution of this business continuity plan and ensure effective follow-through. The assigned leadership will direct all internal and external communications that comes from the organization. When a disaster happens and there are displaced workers there are many issues that will need to be addressed. Phoenix will determine the immediate future plans and opportunity for a return to work. If employees are displaced for a long amount of time, or even permanently, different options will be made available.
As a minimum, Phoenix will work with the human resources department to find possible jobs in other locations. A relocation package will be made available if a person is chosen or chooses for transfer. According to Workforce Management Online, “employers should consider whether affected employees could be transferred to other operations in surrounding areas, so that valuable skills and experience are not lost. Once the organization rebuilds, employees will be an integral part of returning to the area and re-establishing operations” (Barron, Phipps and Steinmeyer, 2005).
Phoenix will offer additional training so employees can either work to reintegrate into another facet of the organization, or at least be better prepared to enter the job market and seek other employment. For those employees that may become injured, Phoenix will provide additional support. The organization will establish a pledge through a legal contact that will assist with medical issues, counseling, and retraining to return to the work force. Phoenix recognizes a disaster can be quite traumatic and remains to be committed to support the employee and their family during this time.
Phoenix will ensure its 24 hour care and assistance program is available for all of its employees for comfort and support throughout the event and the immediate aftermath. Phoenix will stand by its pledge, “Mission first-People always”. Business Continuity Plan The Phoenix Chemical Company is a small size industry that will benefit deeply of a Business Continuity Plan (BCP). A Business Continuity Plan serves as a guide for employees to know what to do in case of disaster.
As mentioned above there is various steps that have to be taken to complete a BCP: coordinated, communicate, identify needs/ risk, alternatives, involve, and test plan. To begin the business continuity plane the company has to coordinate who will lead and implement the plan. The coordinator will be the shift leader of the shift running at that exact moment, because of the training and experience this employee has. The BCP should include emergency contact information, backup suppliers, and a detailed recovery plan in case of any serious issue.
A list of employees name, phone number, and job position should also be located in the plan. Communication among management and employees is a key factor to manage the business continuity plan. Inform employees of any suspicious activity that may case danger like for example: weather, chemical spills, gas leaks, and machinery not functioning. The plan the will continue with the risk and needs of the industry. Employee’s needs are very important their safety and security has to be priority.
In case of a disaster occurring employees need to have a security that they will still have their job. The risk that The Phoenix Chemical Company face is the following: fire, floods, and tornadoes. Having insurance to protect the company is very important with these precautions the company has to take other measures. Management and company owners have to meet with the local fire department to assure that the company is in compliant with state law. Informal trainings will take place biweekly and as needed to pass on daily safety guidelines.
Have monthly fire drills without informing employees that they will take place. If a disaster occurs in any of the companies there has to be alternatives that will help employees to keep working without assets being lost. If a flood watch is in effect in the Boston, Massachusetts Company the shift leader in charge would call and inform all customers. Then they would inform employees to protect company’s assets by relocating any items to a safer area. Employees work is voluble so they will be called and informed when they will be back at work.
Finally for the business continuity plan to function every step has to be rested. If tested and it is not adequate or compliant with company and employees it should be modified and retested till it is beneficial to employees and to the industry. Roles and Responsibilities In response to large-scale disasters many key personnel and decision makers will be required to implement organizational policies, procedures, and plans. First responders, federal, state, local government, and private sectors are critical components for implementing this plan.
First-responders will consist of but will not be limited to; local fire fighters, law enforcement, and EMS. These community partners will be primarily tasked with rescuing and treating victims. First responders in conjunction with other planners will outline their capabilities and will identify all on-going changes in regards to their contributions related to emergency response. Continuous improvements will include command and control responsibilities, planning, changing equipment, evolving industry tactics, and continuing scenario development.
Coordination with other departments, neighboring jurisdictions, and representatives from the private sector will occur on an annual basis, funded by Phoenix, and will include full-scale rehearsal of emergency response phase actions. This continued interagency collaboration is important in various aspects of disaster planning and response, including training exercises, ensuring that standard operating procedures (SOPs) can be integrated across agency lines, and ensuring that communication remains open during emergency response so that everyone is informed about important developments.
While the local first responders are responsible for the immediate response to an emergency, the federal government has an important role to play in disaster response. The federal government continues to improve and exercise large-scale emergency response, understanding both national implications and fiscal constraints which tend to overwhelm the capacity of local, state, or regional response. The federal government has pledged to continue its work and support with local and state emergency response agencies in developing a synchronized national response plan and standards for responding to a large-scale emergency.
While local and state emergency managers provide a wealth of experience in disaster response and are crucial to the creation of a national response plan, other experts in the field, such as academics and industry leading experts of the private sector will continue to be included in the process, these standard bearers have expertise in emergency management from other perspectives that remain critical to continuous improvement. The industry has a crucial role to play in disaster planning, response, and recovery.
In order for Phoenix to save lives, it must improve and continually exercise the continuity plan, and the plan must be carried out in all related training exercises to make certain that employees are familiar with the established emergency protocols. Phoenix leaders will continue take an active role to ensure facilities and high-impact infrastructure exceed safety standards and construction standards. References Barron, D. , Phipps, V. , and Steinmeyer, P. (November 2005). After the Disaster: 10 Issues for Employers, HR Management. Retrieved August 7, 2010 from www. workforce. com/section/09/article/24/21/98. tml Comfort, L. , “Managing Intergovernmental Responses to Terrorism and Other Extreme Events,” Publius: The Journal of Federalism, Vol. 32 (Fall 2002), p. 39. Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2010). Emergency Disaster Activity. Retrieved on August 8, 2010 from http://www. fema. gov Le Pree, J. (2007). Will You Be Ready When Disaster Strikes? Retrieved August 7, 2010, fromUniversity ofPhoenix, Week Four reading Apollo Library Web site:http://web. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? vid=2hid=108&sid=0ea9a62-75ee-43ba-894b-5a9a751b070c%40sessionmgr104
