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First Things First!
Prevent and Mitigate Then Plan for Recovery
By Tom Campbell, Arkwright Pat Moore, Strohl Systems
In today’s highly competitive environment, companies
are struggling to stay on top by finding ways to both limit expenses and
increase profits. No company can afford the loss of property and productivity
from destruction caused by fire or natural hazards.
Although insurance helps to alleviate some of the
costs of such disasters, intangibles—loss of time, customers, goodwill
and trained employees—add other costs that generally are not covered by
insurance. Equipment damaged within minutes can take months to repair
or replace. In the meantime, skilled employees find new jobs. If that
happens, time must be taken to train new personnel and to obtain and set
up new equipment. Key executives will spend their time dealing with the
loss rather than next year’s business plans.
What’s the impact? Market position may be lost.
Inflation and material shortages may make rebuilding difficult and costly.
The first step should be to determine what
events can be prevented and what events can be controlled. By making these
determinations, and implementing adequate loss prevention and control
measures, a contingency planner can reduce the cost and effort of recovery.
PREVENTION AND MITIGATION
The following checklist from the booklet "10
Basic Qualities of a Well-Protected Facility" can be used as a starting
point in the evaluation of your facility.
1. Management Commitment to Loss Prevention
2. Suitable Construction
3. Protection Against Exposure Hazards: Fire, Windstorm, Flood,
Earthquake and Collapse
4. Sprinklers Where Needed
5. Adequate Water Supply
6. Special Hazards Protected
7. Good Housekeeping
8. Regular Inspections
9. Maintenance of Buildings and Equipment
10. Emergency Organization for the Facility
RESPONSE AND RECOVERY
After an incident resulting in physical
property damage occurs, a proper and thorough site/ damage assessment
must be performed. This will not only determine the extent of the damage,
potential recovery time frames and costs, but will ensure the safe entry
requirements for personnel entering the damaged environment.
In many cases a thorough site or damage assessment
is not immediately possible. Access to, and assessment of, the facility
and its contents may be delayed due to the possible loss of structural
integrity, necessary forensic investigation, or existing/potential toxic
contamination.
Physical property and content restoration procedures
are highly specialized and dependent on the type, cause and degree of
damage. Incorporating the following steps into your facility plan will
greatly help in the recovery process.
1. Establish pre-loss communication with your municipal
authorities.
2. Develop pre-loss response and restoration contracts.
3. Emergency mitigation measures should be put in place within
24-48 hours.
4. Conduct damage assessments for: structural damage, hazardous
material contamination, fire, water, mold, mildew and corrosion.
For more information:
Call Tom Campbell, Arkwright at (781) 890-9300,
Ext. 3332 email: thomas_campbell@arkwright.com
visit Arkwright’s web site at: www.arkwright.com
Call Pat Moore, Strohl Systems at (800) 634-2016
or (610) 768-4120 email: pmoore@strohl-systems.com
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