Business continuity procedures 'must be clearly written'

15 November 2011

Posted by Samuel Couratin

Procedures that can help to ensure business continuity in the event of a power outage on company premises need to be clearly written down, an expert has insisted.

According to Dr Jim Kennedy, an author whose books cover subjects such as disaster recovery, people do not always respond to a crisis exactly as they would during a normal non-stressful situation.

Writing for Continuity Central, he said this means having a course of action displayed in writing can make it easier for members of staff to follow the recommended steps to get a firm operational without making any mistakes.

"One method to make the procedures easier to follow would be to use step-by-step check lists or flow charts," Dr Kennedy commented.

Businesses were told that having these on hand at the site of each power generator would enable a company to get a portable generator up and running more quickly.

However, he stressed that the procedures must also include information on how the device should be disconnected when the main power supply is restored.

Companies that have invested in a portable generator were also advised to make sure these are periodically checked, so they can be confident they are in working order should they ever be needed.

Dr Kennedy went on to cite a study by Forrester Research which revealed that power failures are a factor in almost half of the disasters experienced by businesses in a single year.

He added that being prepared for a loss of power can help prevent this inconvenience from turning into a disaster, which could in turn lead to a firm missing out on revenue generating opportunities.

This comes after Dr Paul Robertson of PricewaterhouseCoopers warned that failing to put a "comprehensive crisis management capability" in place could lead to a firm losing market share and suffering reputational damage if a catastrophe does occur.