ADJACENT HAZARDS

When assessing your vulnerability to natural, technological or other hazards, it is critical that you also look around your facility and adjacent areas.

1. For example, your new building may be elevated above an anticipated flooding event; however, you are located in a hurricane evacuation area. Therefore, you still will be mandated to evacuate your facility given a hurricane threat. You will not be able to return until officials give the “all clear”. What is the potential impact on your operations?

2. The building adjacent to you houses a print shop which has specific chemicals identified as hazardous. An incident at that facility may force you to evacuate your building or shelter-in-place. Are you familiar with the businesses around you?

3. Some organizations or businesses are at a higher risk of violence or attack because of the nature of their operations, i.e. landmarks, large venues, family planning centers, religious centers, government agencies, etc. Your business continuity plan should recognize the impact of their increased vulnerability and the potential impact to your company.