emergency planning and disaster recovery for archives, libraries and museums emma dadson divisional...
TRANSCRIPT
Emergency planning and disaster recovery for archives, libraries and museums
Emma Dadson
Divisional Manager
Harwell Document Restoration Services
Outline
Case studies Emergency response without planning Emergency response with planning
Key content Ensuring it works in practice Template documents available, free of charge
• Please email [email protected] for a copy
Why do we need to plan? Strong possibility of an incident occurring
Harwell - 400-500 projects per year Good housekeeping – risk management
Inevitable residual risk
DomainHave experienced a disaster
Have not experienced a disaster
Freq % Freq %
Archive 57 29 141 71
Library 71 35 135 66
Museum 58 28 151 72
Total 186 30 427 70
Why do we need to plan?
Who said: ‘I have never been in an accident of any sort
and have never been wrecked, nor was I ever in any predicament that threatened to end in disaster of any sort’
• E J Smith
High risk strategy to assume it won’t be you Lack of preparation exacerbates
consequences
What are the benefits of having a plan? Fast response, avoid escalation Prompt, SOP for pressurised situation Resilience for absence of key personnel Sound basis for decision-making
Avoids dithering / knee-jerking Potential hurdles circumvented in advance Information at your disposal when
communications difficult vs sourcing solutions without resources
When a plan isn’t enough
A plan will not necessarily be effective when put into practice simply by virtue of its existence. Why? Lack of content – no direction, just lists No scrutiny, testing, revision or review Poor communication and awareness beyond author One dimensional Lack of training and familiarity
But remember that no plan is a magic wand Dirty work of salvage Decision making under pressure
Objectives
Avoidance of these pitfalls What should be in your plan? How do you ensure it works in practice
Plans can be (relatively) straightforward Extensive internal resources within organisation Critical steps
• Identify sources of help• Ensure they understand your priorities • Ensure channels of communication are open• Understand your capacity and limitations
Good foundations What tasks will be required to manage a flood?
Liaise with insurance company / loss adjuster Updating intranet to advise on compromised service Inform regulatory authorities Pump out store Assessing priority order for material to be salvaged Decide how an item should be treated (air-dried/frozen) Isolate electricity prior to salvage beginning Liaise with emergency services Arranging generator to run dehumidifiers Decide on the best method for packing damaged items Organise movement of damaged material Decide whether or not to suspend service / close Restore IT facilities
Emergency management team
Organisation management
Salvage Manager
Disaster Recovery
Co-ordinator
Building Manager
Service Continuity / IT
Recovery
Emergency Management Team – Small institutions
Governing body
Emergency Response
Co-ordinator
Emergency Management
team
Trustees =
Salvage helpers /
contractors
One size does not fit all Split physical salvage / co-ordinating and continuity Multiple sites / small staff Semantics
Benefits in disaster recovery situations Identify at the start and involve from the beginning
• Work on plan production / review • Get their buy-in from day one
Specify Responsibilities / duties Required immediate actions to control incident Ongoing actions as salvage operation progresses Final actions to be completed as incident is closed
•
Identifying your emergency management team
Alarm raising
Effective initial response vital – time of essenceContain incident – limit quantity and extent of
damaged collections• Identify source of leak and stop • Isolate electricity • Protect records with polythene• ....purpose of plan, corral / direct you when panicking
Reliant on facilities departments Safety, dealing with leak Problems: multiple areas affected
Alarm raising Making this work effectively
Integrate into Business Continuity plans• Why does your collection take precedence?
Have copies of utilities shut-off instructions for services affecting you
Disaster equipment – basic materials like polythene etc • Possibly your own wet vac, absorbent cushions
Risk assessment form – tick boxes Out of hours procedures
• It’s okay to call you
Key contents – priorities
Priorities for salvage Only you know your collections and can identify
vital items Possibly security guards, fire-brigade, Harwell, not
you doing this Clear policy on vital items
Consider fast-deteriorating media / finding aids / material not owned by you / long destruction date
Locations Floor plan, list of bays / box numbers etc Mark in store
• Fluorescent stickers / laminated markers
Key contents – salvage
Most items can be air-dried, without external contractors
Time before mould / corrosion – 72 hours Question of
Your space capacity External cost vs your time Keeping material in order Health and safety, future use
Identify your strategy nowWhen would you involve a contractor?
Key contents – salvage
When to call in a specialist Foul water flooding AV material Significant / unmanageable quantity of damage
• Freezing initially Migrating inks Requirement to keep material in order Smoke damage or fire damage Glass damage Mould growth
Key contents – equipment Rapid response salvage kit
Protecting and containing / Documentation / Air-drying / clean up
Risk assess what you need• Are you going to air-dry?
Key items • Polythene, tape gun, gaffer, stanley, leak
diverter, absorbeez cushions• Blotting paper, cotton tape, polythene bags,
documentation kit, cable ties • Basic PPE Nitrile gloves, masks, torches• Copies of key info
Location / mobility / security / ready to use
Key contents – equipment
Larger / more expensive items accessed internally / via hire shopLighting Generators/ Emergency lighting / PPESandbags / booms / pumps / wet vacsDehumidifiers / fans / air-moversTrolleys / sack barrows / crates / pallets
Know where this material is now!
Key contents – equipment and suppliers External services and contracted services
Document recovery firms / conservators Disaster recovery firms (Clean up, sanitisation, pump out
water etc) Storage (off-site/ambient) / Removals firms / packers /
manpower Specialist moving equipment Trades
Local / Regional / National Work out finances and costs in advance – set up an
account? To what level can you authorise emergency
expenditure
HDRS Priority User Service
Priority User Service Cover for all sites Access to HDRS’ 24-hour hotline +44 1235 434373 Free, onsite consultancy and salvage project
management, 365 days per annum Discounted salvage, packing and transport Free crate hire & freezer storage Priority access to HDRS’ disaster recovery teams &
restoration facilities Discounts on standard rates
• 35% on drying / 25% on smoke-damage restoration / 25% sanitisation
Key contents
Business Continuity targets, policy and strategy Temporary accommodation Arrangements for sensitive / confidential records Contacts for staff Floor plans Log sheets Documentation form Version control and security Details of your insurance cover
Exclusions, policy number, loss adjuster etc
To make sure your plan works in practice Practise! Training, familiarity
Improve teamwork and communication Scrutinise – test your plan Interface with other key sections of your
organisation What emphasis is given to records in
your organisation’s business continuity plans?
Presentation
Summary
Good quality document will ensure a more robust response
Time: critical in successful incident management Troubleshoot where possible in advance
To ensure an effective response, stay prepared keep your plan updated and stay familiar
with the contentdealing with disaster is never easy
• but is less difficult if you are prepared and equipped with a workable plan
HDRS
Emma Dadson Harwell Document Restoration Service
Dalton Building Maxwell Avenue Harwell Science and Innovation Campus DidcotOX11 0QT
T. 01235 432245 F. 01235 432246 E. [email protected] W. www.hdrs.co.uk