Building a disaster recovery plan

In the event of an emergency which has severely affected building occupation, such as a fire, flood or the discovery of asbestos, it is critical for organisations to be fully operational quickly to minimise the impact on service provision and its future. It is often more effective to have staff working where they were previously than on split sites to maintain efficiency and communications.

Contingency planning

An up-to-date and accessible disaster recovery plan is essential to ensure a company is as prepared as it can be for a crisis. The most important advice to heed is not to wait until a building has been lost to take these steps; emergencies are very pressurised situations.

A plan should include:

Detailed inventory

Media liaison guide

Immediate action plan

Contacts list for suppliers, insurers, service providers and other key contacts

Instructions if key pieces of equipment are destroyed

Back-up plans for IT and what to do if data storage or back-up devices are destroyed

Building recovery plan containing site review, access and groundwork detailing, and space requirements.

A key part of being prepared for an emergency is working with an expert provider of building solutions. Creating a positive working environment in a high quality interim building will help in the retention of staff during a difficult period. A modular building supplier, such as Portakabin, has expertise and experience in disaster recovery and can act as a trusted advisor, helping companies create a comprehensive plan.  

Considerations to look for in contingency planning include: Does the building supplier know how to mobilise a team of experts to meet your emergency accommodation needs, and what track record does the supplier have in disaster recovery?

 

Will you have a local response and be able to benefit from immediate and ongoing advice, support and help in sorting out an interim building solution? Will that supplier be able to visit your site at weekends or out-of-hours if required?

Will the supplier sort everything out to allow you to focus on other crisis issues, such as developing a permanent solution? Areas to be taken care of for the interim building will include liaison with planning authorities, groundworks, power and other services, emergency generator provision if power lines have been damaged, supply of appropriate office furniture, security and fire alarm systems, installation of air conditioning if required, and provision of data communications.  

 

Do you trust the supplier to deliver on time? Your team is unlikely to have the time to look at multiple building suppliers for a disaster recovery project and so needs complete confidence in delivery on time and on budget.

If the worst happens

The priority immediately after a crisis is to keep the business operating. If a building has been completely lost, there may be no need for any further buildings. The business can relocate. Often, however, not all buildings are damaged so an additional block or unit will need to be rapidly put in place.

 

A large team of people may need to be accommodated or, if staff can work from home or from another location for a short period, a small temporary building – such as a single modular building (SMB) – may be sufficient for the team which remains on site to help with the recovery project.  

 

Depending on requirements, SMBs can be sited in a matter of days – sometimes in a few hours – and give an immediate, short-term solution. This type of building can be useful – for example while smoke damage is addressed in the existing building.

Medium term

Management will need time to plan the next stage. How long will the interim accommodation be required? Is it cost effective to refurbish or rebuild or should the business relocate? How long will the contractor need for the rebuild or repair programme? This could easily be between six and 12 months. A modular building can then be put in place to recreate offices for use during the rebuild programme.  

 

Modular buildings built to 60-year permanent standards can be hired and can give the company the opportunity to try out new ways of working before the rebuild is finalised. Could hot desking, open plan or cellular office accommodation be a better option? These approaches can easily be incorporated into a modular design.

 

Accommodation can be ‘flexed’ up or down, useful if there are several phases of a rebuild to be handed over at different times. If the damaged buildings have to be completely rebuilt, the interim solution needs to be attuned to the company’s specific way of working. www.portakabin.co.uk