QUESTI ON 6 Review the information contained in the Virtual Office (Emergency Procedures) Risk Management Tool available at - http://www.comcare.gov.au/virtual_workplaces/virtual_office/reception/emergency_procedures How might an organisation prepare and respond to the following:

a. A bomb threat? b. An injured or sick client? c. Visitors who are unaware of safety procedures?

A. A BOMB THREAT?

Contingency planning requires an investment of time and resources, but the consequences of not doing a CP or you halve heartily do one, the astronomical financial burden if a catastrophe happens. ???? Developing a Good ‘Plan B’ – It’s not just an Act of God the CSO should be worry about, [A lot of staff get food poisoning at the Melbourne Cup – Payroll administration crashes – Clients kill in plane crash – bomb threat etc.] all possibilities and plausible and therefore this is why Contingency planning is a key component of this strategy and preparation. CP is critical because it can effect minor equations first[loss of data, individuals, customer’s, clients, and suppliers and other hidden equations.] This is why it is critical to implement Contingency planning as normal part of the way your CSO operates [weekly fire drills etc.]. From a thorough analysis of the risks that the CSO exposes through a contingency planning emerges and it leads also to beneficial practical thinking about new and ongoing projects: [what happens when plan A doesn’t go as expected? Sporadically Plan A means ‘business as usual’] on other occasion, with more elaborate risk management plans. Plan A is your first response to deal with the identified risk – and when Plan A miscarries, you use your contingency plan. Applying these principles in your risk assessment process: Address all business-critical operations – as a good plan identifies the whole picture, [leaves no stone unturned] the CSO functions and outlines ways to minimise losses. Identify risks – For each of these functions, conduct a Risk Analysis. {The first step in Risk Analysis is to identify the existing and possible threats that you might face. These can come from many different sources. For instance, they could be: Human – Illness, death, injury, or other loss of a key individual. Operational – Disruption to supplies and operations, loss of access to essential assets, or failures in distribution. Reputational – Loss of customer or employee confidence, or damage to market reputation. Procedural – Failures of accountability, internal systems, or controls, or from fraud. Project – Going over budget, taking too long on key tasks, or experiencing issues with product or service quality. Financial – Business failure, stock market fluctuations, interest rate changes, or non-availability of funding. Technical –

Advances in technology, or from technical failure. Natural – Weather, natural disasters, or disease. Political – Changes in tax, public opinion, government policy, or foreign influence. Structural – Dangerous chemicals, poor lighting, falling boxes, or any situation where staff, products, or technology can be harmed. You can use a number of different approaches to carry out a thorough analysis: Run through a list such as the one above to see if any of these threats are relevant. Think about the systems, processes, or structures that you use, and analyse risks to any part of these. What vulnerabilities can you spot within them? Ask others who might have different perspectives. If you're leading a team, ask for input from your people, and consult others in your organisation, or those who have run similar projects.} Prioritising risks – this is a enormous, challenge of contingency planning, is making sure you create a careful balance between too much and too little. Having adequate preparation, so that you can respond rapidly and effectively to a crisis situation when it transpires. Tools like Risk Impact and Probability Charts can be useful in this process. Contingency planning isn’t the only result being delivered, from Risk Analysis process, you develop and process the risk by using existing assets more efficiently, effectively or through investing in new resources [such as insurance,] The two main impediments as the contingency plan process: Individuals are creatures of habit, and their motivation to develop a strong Plan B because they have so much emotional investment in the Plan A that they want to deliver. Stress that Plan B needs to be thoroughly and constructively thought through. Two as there is very little use for Plan B. until the risk arises and the frequency is spontaneous and the probability of it occurring is a very rare occasion. Therefore individuals tend to put it out of sight, out of mind Plan B. {fire drill]. The principal guidelines for developing the contingency plan: Your main goal is to maintain business operations – Examine closely at what you need to do to deliver a minimum level of service and functionally. Precise time periods – schedule for the first hour of the plan being implemented. The first day? The first Week? Tool DILO is very appropriate for this scheduling. Identify the trigger – what specifically, will cause the implementation of the contingency plan and allocation of individuals Fire Warden etc. and mandatory reporting requirements, incident report etc. Keep the plan simple – remember the 7c’s of communication clear, concise, etc., consider related resource restrictions – is there a back up generator, and is the emergency exits clear. Identify everyone’s needs – Has the individuals done their mandatory training, and have a complete understanding of the contingency plan B and requirements associated with its operation. [Code red – blue – green] DEFINE success how quickly can the CSO start functioning as normal. Insurance cost reduced for having a contingency plan in place, individual’s safety, incidents have decrease etc. Include contingency plans in standard operating procedures – keep everyone informed on changes and make sure you provide the appropriate training on the plan. Manage your risks – look for opportunities to

reduce risk, wherever possible. This strategy can assist you in reducing or eliminating the need for full contingency plans in certain areas. Identify operational inefficiencies – provide a standard to document your planning process and find opportunities for performance improvement. The maintenance of the contingency plan is vital ingredient because as the CSO changes, legislation etc. reviews and updates will be necessary to the documentation. The key stages in the maintenance process are: appropriate communication to everyone in the CSO: roles and responsibilities attached to the plan correctly: appropriate training in place to fulfil obligations of the plan: conducting of regular drills if applicable to the plan (fire drill): Monitoring, training and drills for improvements and applying the mandatory changes (technological, operational, and personal changes): Revised plans are renewed and distributed to all relevant individuals and make sure the previous plans are discarded to CSO and legislative requirements: Keep the plan assessable for all parties ( so if there is a emergency, can you access the plan outside the CSO) This is one of thee many type of application process that a CSO can adopt Examples: BOMB THREAT Until confirmed otherwise, all bomb or substance threats are to be treated seriously

(if you receive a call where the caller states there is a bomb/substance) Staff – Aspirants - Visitors Do not hang up the phone

Keep the caller on the line, for as long as possible (may assist to trace call)

Stay calm, converse in a non-confrontational tone

Signal to a nearby staff member the nature of the call, and advise them to contact chief warden, (HSR) etc. or simply dial 000.

Fill in Bomb Threat Checklist Gaining as much information as

possible Location of Bomb Type of Bomb Time of detonation What may cause the detonation

So that you may offer a description to the Police -

The caller’ voice (male/female, deep/high,

accent)

Whether the caller sounds calm, agitated, angry etc.

Terminology the caller uses Any background noise you can hear

Anything which may assist Police When the caller has hung up, do

not hang up. Relay info to Warden, HSR etc. Leave further action to them.

Stay calm and do not incite panic If you identify suspicious

package/item in the office believing it to be a bomb, contact the Warden, HSR etc. immediately

Do not attempt to touch, investigate or move the item

On appropriate direction from HSR, stay calm and dont incite panic and evacuate people in working vicinity of the threat.

Warden or HSR or Risk Management etc.

If advised of a bomb threat (through phone call or identification of threat)

Call 000 and provide as much information as possible

If the caller is still on the line, advise Emergency Services

Initiate a full or partial building evacuation if the circumstances warrant it

For the warden or HSR don’t hang up the phone once the caller hangs, as the call could still be traced

B. An injured or sick client?

First

aid

Injured / sick

customers and

staff

Ensure that receptionists are aware of the

workplace policy / procedures in relation to the

provision of First Aid to 3rd parties and have

been trained to implement the policy /

procedure

Insure first aid procedure signage and

documentation is up to date, accessible and

easily identified

C. Visitors who are unaware of safety procedures?

Visitors /

contractors

Visitors uncertain

of how to respond

in an emergency

Reception to give briefing on

emergency procedures prior to

entry into secure areas

Ensure visitors / contractors are

accounted for and included in

procedures for evacuation

Ensure emergency procedures are

visible and easily understood for

visitors to follow in the event of

an emergency

Regulations

Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) (WHS

Regulations) – Part 3.4 Emergency Plans

Codes of Practice

Work Health and Safety Approved Code of Practice 2011 (Cth)

– Managing the Work Environment and Facilities