Planning for Pandemics Threats: Business Continuity and Crisis Management HS104 Why Attend This course will provide participants with a full understanding of the threats and issues that are synonymous with pandemics. It will take account of both the business and human aspects of this threat while not just considering businesses in isolation, but as part of a greater supply chain. Participants will learn how to evaluate and formulate the content of a pandemic plan for their own organizations. No prior knowledge of pandemics is required. In 2003 the life-threatening novel Coronavirus that became known as SARS-CoV (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) caused what was described as a global economic tsunami. It cost the tourist industry alone an estimated US$50 billion along with around 3,000,000 job losses. The virus was already spreading across the globe even before the World Health Organization (WHO) knew of its existence. The WHO subsequently issued an unprecedented global warning with an unambiguous message – this new mystery virus presented a threat to everyone on the planet. Today, in 2020, the world is witnessing a second rapidly spreading deadly novel Coronavirus currently referred to as (COVID-2019). The number of people infected during the first few weeks since its emergence has already substantially exceeded those infected over several months by SARS-CoV in 2003. You, your organization and its employees should be prepared to face the multifaceted threat presented by a pandemic. Organizations that are unprepared to face the inevitability of a pandemic are at risk. A pandemic is far more than just about absenteeism caused by illness. In fact, it presents organizations with a multi-faceted threat capable of affecting just about every aspect of their business and crippling their operational ability. Even organizations located in parts of the world that has not have been directly affected by a contagion may still find supply chain failures that become major issues. Course Methodology This course has been designed to be interactive and encourages participation. The delivery includes a combination of presentations, videos, discussions and group exercises. It also utilizes case studies in which we consider what went well, what could have been done better and what went badly. Course Objectives By the end of the course, participants will be able to: Comprehend the inherent dangers associated with a pandemic upon an organization, its employees and other stakeholders along with local communities Master the process of building and validating a pandemic plan Improve health and safety in the workplace with a few simple changes Recognize the potential risks to the critical infrastructure and the potential impact on unprepared businesses Understand the effects of pandemics on all-important supply chains Target Audience Attendance on this course is highly recommended for general management and professionals/practitioners from planning, workforce, strategy and HSE functions, such as: Human Resource Management, Health and Safety, Business Continuity, Organizational Resilience, Risk Management, Crisis and Incident Management, Emergency Management and Planning, Contingency Planning, Supply Chain Management, Security Management, Communications Management and Facilities Management. Target Competencies Business Continuity Planning Risk Management Crisis and Incident Management Emergency Management Contingency Planning Course Outline History of pandemics What is a pandemic Historical pandemic overview Characteristics of a pandemic – it’s not over till it's over! Understanding the World Health Organization’s pandemic phases Epidemics, seasonal influenza and pandemics Why can a pandemic be so dangerous Pandemics and non-influenza related contagions Comparison with other natural disasters The Health Authority and their contingency plan Business continuity impact Impact on staff National incident response Roles and responsibilities within health services and governments Vulnerable groups Vaccines and antiviral medicines Key elements of a pandemic response Communications strategies Ethical issues Building a Pandemic Business Continuity Plan Prioritization of critical products, services and processes Performing a risk assessment Supply chain management Identify your key employees Impact of partial or total transport system collapse Avoiding employees working in close confinement Home working Crisis management roles and responsibilities Human Resource procedures for – absenteeism, illness, death etc. Facilities for managing employees taken ill at work Trauma Management Communications and media plans Testing the Pandemic Business Continuity Plan How to validate your pandemic plan Desktop exercises Running a workshop exercise Performing a live rehearsal of your plan Using random selection to identify infected staff
