Emergency Preparedness: A Risk Management Approach

Emergency Preparedness: A Risk Management Approach

Emergency Preparedness and Response

Most organisations recognise the need to plan for and even rehearse emergency response. Conduct an environmental or safety audit of one of these organisations and they will provide you with procedures, flowcharts, emergency contact telephone numbers and evidence of evacuation drills.

The Insignificant Few

However in the vast majority of cases all of these activities will be focused on one or two emergency scenarios, typically fire and bomb threat. This is an interestingsituation because for most organisations these scenarios are neither the most likely nor the most significant emergencies for their operation. So what should they be managing?

The Forgotten Emergencies

An obvious example of emergency often overlooked is a serious medical emergency. Whether through injury or illness, the emergency treatment of employee, contractor or visitor is probably a scenario relevant to most organisations. All workplaces in Australia require some form of first aid resource including, with the exception of small employers, trained first aiders. However most first aiders get no opportunity to put their skills to use outside of the practicable assessment they undertake as part of their training course.

This is just one example of emergency scenario not considered by most organisations. There are scores more. However the goal is not to indiscriminately plan for every conceivable situation but to determine what emergencies deserve a share of the company's limited resources.

Risk Management Approach

The solution is a risk management approach to emergency preparedness. Organisations should determine all possible emergency scenarios then use a risk assessment to decide which are relevant and require additional controls, possibly including response procedures and rehearsal. Depending upon the nature and complexity of the operation, this process can be carried out using internal resources or through an external facilitator.

By undertaking such an approach, not only does the organisation demonstrate a systematic and proactive approach to emergency preparedness and response but also further develops a risk management culture focused on managing what matters.

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