Human Capital - Fall 2013 - (Page 18)

FEATURE HR & HSEQ Together: Planning for a State of Emergency BY BRIGETTE REIN THIS PAST JUNE, ALBERTA experienced an unprecedented state of emergency due to flooding that spanned 55, 000 square kilometres, resulting in the evacuation of almost 100, 000 people and 10, 000 homes,1 not to mention the impact to roadways and infrastructure. These events have made many organizations aware that manmade or natural disasters can cripple operations and have far-reaching consequences on employees. Regardless of size, all companies should develop and implement a workable, realistic and effective emergency management plan that suits them. Step 1: Plan Ahead Th e Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) offers useful advice and support to people, businesses and communities on assessing risks and developing and implementing emergency management plans. There are a variety of links and publications on the AEMA website (www.aema.alberta.ca) outlining emergency preparedness toolkits and how-to guides for families and businesses as well as how to access funding and other emergency preparedness issues. Essentially, the steps are to create a planning committee to assess vulnerabilities and capabilities and run the plan. Don’t wait for the emergency to implement and refi ne. Step 2: Establish a Planning Committee Human Resources (HR) alongside the Health, Safety, Environment and Quality group (HSEQ) need to champion and resource the leadership of the organization to assemble a team responsible for creating and implementing a dynamic and robust emergency plan. Th is committee needs to include input from all areas and levels within the organization and have the authority and necessary resources to create, implement, execute and continue to improve the plan. Step 3: Analyze the Hazards and Control for Them The HSEQ group needs to engage the committee in the assessment of the organization’s capabilities and hazards facing it. The organization must review plans and policies already in place, as well as applicable laws and regulations such as Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) obligations and requirements. The committee should determine what part of operations is vital and ensure there are backups for each. Analyzing the hazards within the organization and the community in which they are located is critical. Understanding the history of the location and determine the crises root cause(s) such as geographic location or human error. The committee 18 O www.hria.ca http://www.aema.alberta.ca http://www.hria.ca

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Human Capital - Fall 2013

Leadership Matters
Economic Pulse
TechTalk
Shared Responsibilities: Human Resources Management and Health, Safety, Environment & Quality Processes
HR & HSEQ Together: Planning for a State of Emergency
Training versus Competency in the Demonstration of Due Diligence
Synergies between the Human Resources and the Health, Safety, & Environment Departments
Mobilizing HR and HSEQ for Positive Organizational Change in Health, Wellness and Productivity
HR & HSEQ: The Team Approach to Building Effective Supervisory Leadership Skills
HR LegalEase
Index of Advertisers/ Advertisers.com

Human Capital - Fall 2013