If the COVID-19 pandemic and recent floods/cyclone have taught us one thing, it is that it is not if a natural disaster or other serious pandemic will occur, but when. What you do not want, is the sort of external review of the Auckland City Council, conducted by Mike Bush, into the response to the Auckland Flood Event of January 2023.
The Herald’s commentary of Mayor Brown’s response was that he should have played a crucial leadership role throughout the Friday:
“Brown has not grasped that it’s the job of political leaders to lead from the front, visibly, in times of crisis. Think Bob Parker in his orange raincoat during the Christchurch earthquakes. John Key after Pike River, Jacinda Ardern over and over again. In a crisis, political leaders are supposed to soak up people’s fears.”
The Auckland Flood Response Review*** highlighted significant failings in the timeliness and quality of emergency response, in Auckland.
The Bush review of Auckland Council’s emergency management response, namely to implement the ‘4 Rs’ of civil defence: Reduction, Readiness, Response and Recovery, as well as the fifth ‘R’, the Auckland-specific goal of Resilience, identified opportunities for improvement in both Auckland’s emergency preparedness and in all Employer future emergency responses. The importance of Employers having a Business Continuity Policy (BCP) in place, that addresses capability to respond to a large-scale or widespread events – such as occurred on 27-29 January 2023, is now an essential part of any business toolbox and these recommendations provide a firm basis upon which to check your BCP.
A BCP is your emergency blueprint
It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark
Howard Ruff
A Business Continuity Plan identifies the most important parts of a business; where there are potential risks to the critical areas of the business; and what plans are required to mitigate the risks, with the goal of ensuring the business recovers as quickly as possible. Contingency planning is critical to this process and ensures a business has a back up plan or Plan B should the original Plan A not work. This should be an ongoing BCP for your business and is not to be pulled out just for emergencies or disasters.
The purpose of any BCP should be to:
· Provide a mechanism for managing health and safety issues in line with legislative obligations and/or official Government recommendations in respect of Emergencies, Disasters and/or Pandemics;
· Provide general procedures for the prevention and/or management of an Emergency, Disaster and/or Pandemic in the workplace;
· Provide options that the Company may need to consider and/or implement in terms of managing circumstances involving Business Interruption.
(taken from the EMA Business Interruption Policy)
Health and safety
In a natural disaster or other serious event, the health, safety and security of employees and people who interact with your business, should be the first concern of an Employer. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA,) Employers must legally take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure the health and safety of their workers, clients and customers in the workplace. This means that all workplaces should have policies and procedures to manage an emergency, including a natural disaster.
Direct Impacts on Businesses
There would be major disruptions to the workplace that impact on the ability of the Employer to conduct normal business. Pre-disruption health and safety risk assessments within the workplace should be a matter of ongoing priority. The risk assessment is designed to allow the Employer, consulting with employees, to identify future possible hazards, and eliminate or minimise them. This process and analysis will enable Employers to be prepared before the emergency or disaster occurs.
Below are some of the elements that it is suggested should be in your BCP. Each BCP will be unique and fact-specific to your business.
1. Document your blueprint beforehand – do an advance ‘preparedness’ for emergency events using the 4Rs - Reduction, Readiness, Response and Recovery
2. Develop specific contingency plans in advance of the possible hazards that the workplace/workforce might face e.g. winds? rain? service outage?
3. Identify who your leaders will be to lead the response phase ie. clarity of responsibilities
4. Identify how you will communicate e.g if no cell coverage
5. Identify key products or services e.g. what happens if you don’t have your full suite of employees? all your materials?
6. Identify key personnel e.g. could your business continue without some or all of your staff on deck?
7. Identify key connections and partners e.g. could customers come to you in the short term if the port, airport, road or rail system was disrupted?
Government and Employer Organisation Support
Stay aware of news around government support for businesses.
Ø The Government has introduced the Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Act, effective 21 March 2023. The purpose of this is to ensure the recovery and rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle is streamlined and efficient with unnecessary red tape removed
Ø The Government is providing $75 million in recovery support to businesses in eight regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and January floods in the North Island
Ø Government grants for recovery support up to $40 000-00 are available to keep operating and position you for a successful recovery and maintain cashflow
Ø Stay close to your member organisation (like EMA) informing you through social media platforms, of the support available and how to access funding. Advice and guidance on support for affected businesses is provided by the EMA Business Helpline - call 0800 500 362 or email info@businesshelpline.co.nz
Ø Government department websites (like IRD, MBIE, Worksafe) provide invaluable information and resources to assist businesses with how to manage the workplace in the event of storms, flooding, and landslides; communication breakdowns; tax support; and managing staff
Ø Small business owners in Auckland who are facing challenges, especially relating to recent weather events, can find support through the online business platform Activate Community
Ø The First Steps mental wellbeing initiative is available for use by businesses in affected regions
Ø A New Recovery Visa will provide additional specialist workers to support cyclone and flooding recovery, applications will be fast tracked, application fees wiped, making it free for those who come here.
Severe weather events are becoming more severe with climate change. Disasters often happen without warning. This flood and cyclone event has been an important wake up call for Auckland and Employers in their civil defence and emergency management systems. Employers need to ensure that their systems and strategies are there, not just to survive, but to ensure improved future response to unpredicted emergencies to thrive, despite what nature throws at us.
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