A Three Part Series By Thomas Helmer, Senior Director, CS&A International Risk And Crisis Management

Welcome to my three part series on Emergency Management! Over the next couple of months I will be posting short blogs covering current best practices in emergency management:

• Part One – PREVENTING AND PREPARING FOR EMERGENCIES
• Part Two – MANAGING EMERGENCIES
• Part Three – LEARNING FROM EMERGENCIES

Keeping in mind that different business sectors may require different response types, the overarching priority of any emergency response is to manage the People aspects first, then the impact on the Environment, followed by protecting Assets and last but not least, protecting Reputation. Often referred to as the P-E-A-R model, this is a good place to start.

Part One

PREVENTING AND PREPARING FOR EMERGENCIES

When tasked with setting up an emergency management system for your company, the following steps will ensure that you have used a proven best-practice methodology and can implement it effectively.

1. Identifying Hazards and Effects

A hazard can be described as a threat posing situation. This threat can be to life, health, assets, or the environment. Most hazards are dormant or potential, with only a theoretical risk of harm; however, once a hazard materialises, it can easily create an emergency situation. A hazardous situation that has come to pass is called an incident. Hazard and possibility interact together to create risk.

Hazards must be controlled effectively to reduce the risk of creating adverse effects. Therefore, each organisation needs to identify its hazards and effects. The process, called the Hazards and Effects Management Process (HEMP), was pioneered in the Oil and Gas sector, but is equally relevant to other industries and is the first step to determine the potential exposure a company must be prepared for.

Together with a multi-disciplinary team, start the process by listing all the potential hazards imaginable and then sort them in logical categories. For example –

• Pressurised Gases and Liquids

• Chemical substance (storage, handling, use)
• Dynamic Situations (e.g. Trucks, Cranes, Rotating Equipment)
• Differences in Height (e.g. working at height, objects overhead, slopes)
• Ergonomic (e.g. workspace, human machine interface)
• Biological (e.g. animals, insects, plants, bacteria)
• Security (e.g. civil unrest, terrorism, crime)
• Natural Environment (e.g. weather, flooding, earthquakes)
• Environmental Aspects (e.g. use of water, discharges, emissions)
• Etc.

Consider the hazards that have led to incidents in the past in your company, but also in similar industries. Once the list is more or less complete, begin to identify where these hazards are in the organisation’s operations, sites and facilities, make an inventory and describe what the effects could be if control is lost.

Then list the current controls for each of the identified hazards and rate their effectiveness.

Results from this process must be documented in a Hazard and Effects Register and reviewed and updated annually. Best practice advocates that this Hazard and Effect Register should be externally audited every two years as a minimum.

TYPICAL ORGANISATIONAL PITFALLS

• The organisation has not developed or is not aware of the existence of a Hazard and Effects Register.
• The Hazard and Effects Register is out of date, incomplete, or not accessible.

2. Determining and Mitigating Risk

Each organisation must consider the risks they need to manage. Typically a Company Risk Register is used and updated monthly as part of financial controls.

Many companies choose to use a structured risk matrix to plot the severity of impact and likelihood of occurrence and to rate risks (low, medium, high, critical) and prioritise mitigation plans accordingly. ISO 31000:2009 guidelines that were developed for the Oil and Gas Industry can serve as a good starting point if nothing is in place yet.

When managing major risks affecting People, Environment and Assets, the high-level business risk management process is often insufficient to cover further associated risks. A deeper and more detailed risk assessment process is warranted.

For both the high level Company Risk Register and the detailed risk registers, the following applies:

• Each risk must have a designated owner.
• Each identified barrier must have an owner responsible for verifying effectiveness.
• Each improvement opportunity must have an accountable owner.
• Opportunities must be prioritised annually.
• Selected improvements must be included in the yearly business plan.
• Management must review risks regularly.

Following this methodology enables organisations to mitigate risks to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) and develop effective response capabilities.

Results must be documented in a Corporate or Site-specific Risk Register and updated annually, typically audited every two years.

TYPICAL ORGANISATIONAL PITFALLS

• Risk registers are created by inexperienced personnel.
• Lack of awareness of risk registers.
• Registers are outdated or incomplete.
• Risk reviews are not conducted properly.
• Mitigation plans are not executed.

3. Developing the Emergency Response Organisation, Procedures and Practice

Following is a step-by-step approach to developing a robust Emergency Response Organisation:

• Define response structure.
• Define required skill sets.
• Nominate staff and backups.
• Train and practice regularly.
• Identify external resources.
• Develop mutual aid agreements.
• Maintain stakeholder contact lists.

Results must be documented in an Emergency Management Manual and updated annually.

TYPICAL ORGANISATIONAL PITFALLS

• Documents are outdated or inaccessible.
• Staff are not trained.
• Drills are not conducted properly.
• Insufficient resources for 24/7 coverage.

With the above guidelines, you are equipped to spearhead and monitor the development of an effective risk management and emergency prevention system for your organisation. For additional support or questions, please contact Thomas Helmer at thomas.helmer@csa-crisis.com.

Thomas Helmer is Senior Director with CS&A International Risk, Crisis and Business Continuity Management, a specialist firm working globally with multi-national clients across industry sectors. Prior to CS&A, Thomas had a long and distinguished career in the oil and gas industry with particular expertise in HSE and extensive experience as an emergency coordinator.