What is Personnel Loss?

Personnel loss is when the employees are unable to perform their task via normal business operations. This could include but not limited, pandemic, flu outbreak, contaminated workspace, highway infrastructure loss, and etc.

The disaster preparedness requirement is to determine the essential or critical duties for the business that must continue regardless the loss of personnel. Then have information available to have others perform the task or perform the task from remote locations other than a backup site.

If a pandemic occurs it is predicted that 80% of a company’s workforce will be affected by the pandemic. Some of the potential effects are as follows:

• Employees are ill and quarantined unable to report to work
• Employees unable to report to work because they have to stay home to take care of sick family members
• Schools are closed and children are at home for extended time and employees with children have no alternative daycare choices
• The employees are aware of co-workers being ill and do not want to report to work for fear of being exposed
• Employees may refuse to go to a customer’s home or business for sales or service if they feel they may be subject to infection
• Employees unable to report due to volunteer services call upon them to report such as National Guard, Volunteer Firemen, Red Cross and etc.

Essential/Critical Duties

Each operation within the company needs to review their operations and determine the task that need to be completed to keep the company operating. These may include:

• Alarm Monitoring
• Data Entry
• Payroll
• Cleaning
• Emergency supplies (food/drink/comfort/infection prevention)
• Customer Reports
• Service protocol
• Installation protocol
• Collections protocol
• Corporate Services
• Human Resources

Then for each duty, one must determine the following:

• The minimum number of people needed to perform the duty
• What applications or tools needed to perform the duty
• Determine if duty can be performed remotely or off site
• Then document the step by step process of getting the task done. The assumption is that a person who has never performed the task will have to read this document and proceed without being personally trained.

Authority Chart

This is a chart that identifies the decision-making hierarchy in the event the primary responsible person is unable to perform their duties. There may be several charts by department and for the company.

• Central Station
• Branch Operations
• Corporate

Broadband Survey

If employees are unable to report to work, they may be able to perform certain duties from home. This list allows the decision makers to quickly know who they can go to for performing these tasks.

• Employees who have company laptops
• Employees who have broadband access from home

Employee Directories

An up-to-date list of employees with home address, home phone numbers, cell phones and alternate contacts to reach them.

Contingency Plan

This is a preset plan on how the company will address issues within the operation if a situation were to occur.

• Employee contact – where should an employee call to obtain information about report or not reporting to duty.
• Company Absence Policy – a company policy on how absences will be addressed during a pandemic situation.
  • Who determines the employee is ill
  • If an employee was ill who determines they are able to return to work and not infect others
  • If an employee has to be absent for family situation what is the policy
  • Who employee needs to contact if they cannot report to duty

• Medical supplies – What supplies are needed for non-contamination?
  • Masks
  • Gloves
  • Cleaning supplies
  • Air purifiers

• On-site supplies

The items you may need on site in the event staff is unable to leave the facility for a period of time.

Food and Beverage

Stews

Fruits

Soups

Peanut butter

Jelly

Dried soups

Crackers

Tea

Coffee

Hot Chocolate

Bottled Water

Bottled Juice

Other Supplies

Plastic cups

Paper plates

Utensils (plastic ware)

Confort and Personal Hygiene

Toothbrushes

Toothpaste

Towel/washcloth

Bodywash/Bar soap

Bedding

Sleeping bags

Blankets

Pillows (removable covers)

Air Mattress

Cot

Heaters/Fans

Space Heaters

Fans

Other Items

Camera

Map

flashlight “D” Cell & Batteries

Duct Tape

Drop cloths/Tarps

Mop

Storage and Replacement

All items to be kept on site at the Central Station in a plastic tote with locking lid

All perishable supplies should be replaced annually

After use, all washable items should be immediately laundered

• Statement for customers – Some customers have put together their contingency plan. Their plan includes counting on an alarm company to perform certain tasks. When requested by a customer what does the company provide?

Employee Education– This is on going flyers, news letters, communication meeting and etc discussing many topics.

• Cold and Flu prevention (personal and family)
• Washing hands
• Emergency communication process
• Training on tasks they may be required to fill under an emergency condition

Suppliers– What are the supplies that you need to obtain to perform critical tasks? If they are affected by personnel loss how do you get your tasks completed?

• Payroll service company
• Alarm parts supplier
• Bank
• Software support
• CS equipment vendors (UPS, Generator, Receivers, Phone switch, and etc.)
• Phone service provider (local and long distance)

Check lists– A plan only works if the information is reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

• How often should the plan be reviewed
• Who is responsible for the updates
• Who is making sure the updates are completed

Preventative steps for flu like outbreak

Use facial tissues to cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and dispose of tissue in waste container, or

Use new cough / sneeze protocol, into your elbow so germs do not get on hands.

Avoid touching eyes, nose, mouth with hands

Do not share pens, books, computers, cell phones, tools, safety equipment, office supplies, etc.

Keep handy and use disinfectant to sanitize desks and work surfaces, chair backs, file cabinets, drawer handles, doorknobs, restroom counters, faucets, drinking fountain/handles, warehouse counters, wall phones, tools, steering wheels, etc.

Keep all personal safety equipment, eye protection, etc. sanitized and ready for use.

Keep any cuts and scrapes covered with / protected by bandages.

Issue strict requirements to daily/nightly cleaning crew & maintain adequate cleaning supplies.

Cleaners should do damp dusting rather than dry dusting (keep from flying around).

More frequent cleaning of common area – surfaces, telephones, stair railings, restrooms.

Social distancing will help reduce potential contact

Try to remain 3 and/or preferably 6 feet from other individuals

Reduce face to face encounters

Discourage hand shaking

Eliminate group lunches, socializing, ad hoc meetings

Stagger employee breaks and meal periods

Hand Washing

Wash hands frequently

Before eating

Before handling and cooking food

After handling raw meat, fish, poultry

After using bathroom

After cleaning house/office

After shaking hands with anyone

After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing

Before touching eyes, nose or mouth

Run hands under warm (not hot) water and apply soap

For 15-20 seconds, steadily rub front and back of hands (outside the stream of running water), in between fingers, under fingernails and don’t forget the wrists

Rinse hands thoroughly and dry with paper towel

Use the paper towel to turn off water and open exit door

Use alcohol-based sanitizer containing >60% alcohol when you cannot wash hands

Consider getting flu shots if available

Employees may wear a mask if they choose, must not hinder clear communication and used masks are to be disposed of in waste receptacles