For the most part, manufacturing businesses today benefit from the advancements in technology. That is, mistakes and accidents are generally lessened due to the fact that there are tighter security measures in place for health and safety now than ever before. Most manufacturing organizations are made up of multiple facilities over a large area, and they use complex and dangerous machinery and technology under the care of a large workforce. The risks involved with this industry are varied – some large and some small – and the heavy reliance on the supply chain being effective makes manufacturing high risk. The threats in this area are very real and it’s exactly why it pays to be prepared for emergencies across all levels.
When an emergency happens in a manufacturing business, the supply chain shut down can come at a huge cost. A plan for emergencies that works for the whole organization is important, because without the right plan, you will not have the right success. The question is how you do this without disruption?
- Plan, plan and plan again. The scenarios for an emergency are wide and varied in manufacturing, from the heating systems breaking down to natural disasters like fire being a problem. You need to plan for backups, such as ensuring alarms are installed and working for a fire, and temporary heating systems that can come online when the main systems break. Emergency planning is important for the continued running of your business, because without it, you won’t be able to meet the right regulations and compliance.
- Optimize plan access. Paperwork is out, technology is in. Rather than having a large book of policy located in the HR office of the building, you should ensure that your crisis management applications are all available online on phones and tablets for your stakeholders and even your staff. Management teams should be well aware of emergency procedures and thi means everyone has the right access straight away to the relevant resources when they happen.
- Make it work. It’s not just one plan that has to work for your business. Your policies are going to be unique to your specific company, and there will be threats that you are going to be exposed to that other businesses may not be. Choose to streamline your solutions and everyone will have the right access to the right documents at the same time. Training is vital, and you have to make your emergency preparedness work for your business, or there is just no point in having it.
- Make training a priority. Not one person working in your business should be on the floor and live as an employee without completing the right compliance and health and safety training. Everyone should be well versed on the procedures in place that they have to follow when an emergency occurs, and you should be enforcing this.
Take the time to get to know what could go wrong and ensure that you have a back up plan – just in case.
