SESSION: RECOVERY & RESILIENCY AFTER SANDY (2)
Leveraging Environmental Management Systems to Improve Business Continuity and Planning and Emergency
Response - Lessons Learned from Hurricane Sandy
Peter Hall, AMEC
AMEC Environment and Infrastructure has supported a global Fortune 500 Telecommunications organization with an
Environmental, Health and Safety Management System (EHSMS) that has been deployed at a range of facilities
throughout the world. An important component of the EHSMS program has included the Business Continuity (BCP)
program and EHS training to manage risks and emergency preparedness planning.
The Business Continuity Planning (BCP) program, which is managed within the overall EHSMS, played a key role in this
organizations response to operations and customers in the NYC area impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Specifically, the
BCP program focused on employee’s personal safety, facilities preparations in advance of the storm event and the
proactive outreach to customers. This presentation will review the overall role that an EHSMS program and BCP can
have in addressing significant storm events and the role of BCP coordinators, incident managers, facility managers, and
customer action teams. Key steps involved in the BCP process and lessons learned will be reviewed. An overview of
key areas that EHS Management systems can be utilized to address liability management, training and emergency
response communications will also be summarized as part of this presentation.
Peter Hall is a Principal Consultant and the AMEC Environment & Infrastructure Sustainability & Climate Change/Resiliency Practice Lead. He is based in the Portland, Maine
office, been with the firm for over 28 years and is a certified geologist & environmental audit professional. His expertise includes management systems, stakeholder
engagement/training, emergency response, stormwater, waste management and energy management and integrated solutions for climate change vulnerability/adaptation
programs. Peter has extensive experience with sustainability programs that address mitigation including waste and water reduction, carbon foot-print assessments and
sustainability planning. Peter’s background in management systems have been applied to a range of organizations looking to incorporate resilience to natural hazards and
climate change into regional and local land use planning, short-term and long-term decisions, and implementation solutions. He has supported a range of AMEC projects for
climate change adaptation/resiliency planning, utility sustainability KPIs, sustainability planning for mining and airport sustainability planning projects. Peter is a co-author of
the ABB “Practical Guide for Documentation and Implementation of an EMS” used to secure ISO 14001 registration at hundreds of ABB sites which included both construction
and infrastructure related projects, is a registered ISO 26000 Social Responsibility Presenter and has published over 15 technical papers on system integration and business
sustainability. He has an Integrated Management Credential from the USM Graduate School of Business, Economics, and Management and a B.Sc. degree from St.
Lawrence University in New York.
Leveraging Environmental Management Systems to Improve Business
Continuity Planning and Emergency Response
Lessons Learned from Hurricane Sandy
Peter J. Hall, C.G. (Hydrology Spec.), CEA (IEMA)
AMEC Environment & Infrastructure
Principal - EHS Management Systems and Sustainability
Portland, Maine
Office I 207-828-3501 Cell I 207-272-2153
Email: peter.j.hall@amec.com
AMEC Sustainability & Climate Change/Resiliency Professional Practice Lead
ISO 26000 CSR Registered Presenter
ISO 14001/OHSAS 18001 Certified Auditor
AMEC – EA 2013 Top Ranked Global Climate Change/Energy Services Provider
2012 Dow Jones Sustainability Index Oil and Gas Sector Leader
Presentation Outline
AMEC has supported a global Fortune 500 Telecommunications
organization with an Environmental, Health and Safety Management
System (EHSMS) that has been deployed at a range of facilities
throughout the world. A component of the EHSMS included Business
Continuity and associated liability management and training.
Hurricane Sandy Response and Lesson’s learned
 Background
 Key Features of BCP planning for this event
 Role of the EMS program
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Business Continuity Planning (BCP)
 The Business Continuity Planning (BCP) program, managed within
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the overall EHSMS, played a key role in this organizations response
to operations in the NYC area impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
BCP program focused on Employee’s personal safety, Facility
preparations and the proactive outreach to customers.
Key steps involved in the BCP process and Lessons learned will be
reviewed. An overview of the key areas that EHS Management
systems can be improved to address liability management, training
and emergency response communications will also be summarized
and lessons learned discussed.
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Crisis Management
 Description:
 Crisis management is the coordination of an organization’s
response to a crisis, in an effective, timely manner, with the goal of
avoiding or minimizing damage to the organization’s profitability,
reputation, and ability to operate.
 Supporting documents:
 Corporate Crisis Management Plan
 Local Incident Management Plan
 Threat Assessment
 Emergency Preparedness Plan
 Emergency Communication Pamphlet
 Incident Tracking Report
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Business Continuity
 Description:
 Business continuity is the ability of an organization to provide
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service and support for its customers and to maintain its viability
before, during, and after a business continuity event. A business
continuity plan is the process of developing and documenting
arrangements and procedures that enable an organization to
respond to an event that lasts for an unacceptable period of time
and return to performing its critical functions after an interruption.
Supporting documents:
 Risk Assessment Summary
 Business Impact Analysis
 Resource Requirement Evaluation
 Recovery Strategy Matrix
 Business Continuity Plan
 Continuity Plans
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EHS Management System – PDCA Model
Per ISO 14001/OHSAS 18001
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Management
Review
EHS Internal
Audit
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•Act
•Plan
Resources, Roles,
Responsibility, Accountability
and Authority
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Competence, Training, and
Awareness
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•Do
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Evaluation of Compliance
Performance Measurement and
Monitoring
EHS objectives, targets, and
programs
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•Check
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Legal and other requirements
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Continual
Improvement
Control of
Records
Incident,
Investigation, nonconformity,
corrective and
preventive action
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EHS Policy
Leadership Commitment
 Aspects, Hazards and Risks
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Communication
Documentation
Control of Documents
Operational control
Emergency Preparedness and
response
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Superstorm Sandy Path
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Response Timeline
Daily Recap:
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October 25 – Business Continuity Coordinators (BCC’s), Incident Managers
(IM’s), Facility Managers (FM’s), and Corporate Support Team (CST) put on
alert (emergency numbers, check in process, transfer work, bring home
laptops)
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October 26 – Email message sent to employees in NC (327), VA (601), WV (5),
MD (122), DE (19), PA ()NJ (763) NY (283), CT (42), MA (319), RI (4), DC
(113), provided headcount reports to BCC’s, Message sent to Executives
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October 28 – Facility Managers meeting
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November 6 – Meetings with FM for BR and BCC’s
October 29 – October 31 – Meetings held with CST, BCC’s, IM’s & FM’s
October 29 – November 16 – Meetings held with ACT
October 30 – November 2 – Sent IM messages to employees to validate their
safety
November 19 – 30 – Solicited for lessons learned and feedback
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Business Continuity Coordinators
(BCC’s)
Description:

Executing business continuity plans in response to a business interruption or
outage
Business Groups:
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CAO, Operations, Sales, Services, ECS, GTM, Government, CS&D,
Networking, Finance, IT
Key Activities During Sandy:
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Sent internal communications to leadership and employees
Assisted with accounting for employees
Updated employee hotlines
Provided appropriate coverage for work
Executed business continuity plan as needed
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Incident Manager (IM’s) / Facility
Managers (FM’s)
Description:

IM’s and FM’s assist with response, communication, coordination, support,
and decision making during a business interruption or outage.
Locations:
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15 locations along Eastern Seaboard
Key Activities During Sandy:
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Identified locations that could be impacted
Reached out to landlord where applicable
Updated building hotlines
Determined preparations needed at facilities if any
Ensured generators and UPS working, made sure fuel on hand
Communicated with local power companies
Sent communications to employees at facility
Set up work area for employees
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Corporate Support Team (CST)
Description:

The CST assess the broader impact to Company, coordinates response,
reports back to appropriate leaders, provides support to Local Incident
Management Teams, facilitates communication among key contacts in other
regions and outside of Company, and escalates to the when a situation
becomes a crisis.
Team Members:
 Business Continuity Mgmt., Security, Facilities, Real Estate, HR, IT, EH&S,
Legal, Finance, Risk Mgmt., Communications, Labor Relations, Indirect
Procurement
Key Activities During Sandy:
 Reached out to employees in areas that could be impacted
 HR provided employee listing for NY, NJ, CT to update
 Worked with fuel company to ensure enough fuel on hand to keep
generators running
 Worked with insurance company to determine coverage for damage to
warehouse location
 Reviewed employee communications
 Called back employees as needed in response to messages
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Corporate Support Team (CST)
Key Activities:
 Verified stock availability in local areas
 Placed expedited orders for parts
 Provided additional resources to assist in recovery efforts
 Activated customer service team within Inside Sales to provide
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priority service to customers without a maintenance plan or requiring
assistance beyond the scope of the Maintenance Team (1-800-123xxxx)
Staffed for weekend support
Put together marketing packages for the Sales Teams to use when
talking to customers
Developed scripts for customer service representatives to use
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Integrating Actions and Response for Climate
Change/Extreme Weather Events
Resiliency

Adaptation and Resiliency
Project Life Cycle – Systems Approach
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Sustainability & CC/Resiliency Expertise Areas
that relate to resiliency planning
Integrated Climate Change/Resiliency Planning & Selected Services (Partial List)
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Stakeholder Engagement
Climate Change Scenario Planning
Industrial wastewater
Stormwater
Emergency Planning and Response
Value-Engineering & Building Condition Assessment
Climate Risk Communications and Training
Power T&D and Business Continuity Planning
Hazardous and Solid Waste & Oil Storage and Management
Design/Construction for Potential CC vulnerabilities
Disaster Response
EHS Management Systems and Compliance
IM Weather Forecasting
Green Infrastructure
Automated DFIRM & Data Management
Flood Risk Assessment (FRA)
SLR and Insurance Planning/Requirements
Automated sidewalk conditioning/rating program
Sustainable Forest Management
Energy Efficiency and EnMS programs
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Challenges
 Multiple states impacted
 Widespread power outages
 No cable or internet available
 Spotty cell service (AT&T not available week 1)
 Initially only had work phone numbers for employees in IM Database
 Basking Ridge without power, on generated power
 Basking Ridge with limited space for employees
 Public transportation limited into NYC
 Employees in NY, NJ, CT offline
 BCM primary and backup in same state
 Difficult to initially get in touch with customers
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Roles and Responsibilities & Metrics
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Roles & Responsibilities must be clearly
defined!
 Avaya EH&S Leadership Team
 Major Tenant’s Most Senior Level Manager
 EHSMS Committee Facilitator
 EHSMS Coordinator
 EHSMS Committee Member
 Facility Manager
 Global EH&S Organization
 Supervisor
 Employee
Roles & Responsibilities are defined in MSR-SR-10 Document
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Lessons Learned
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Review primary and backup team members and where they are located
Update knowledge base on support.company.com for customers
Create playbook for Customer Action Teams (CATs)
Identify core contact for CATs
Redistribute generated power in key locations (BR)
Prepare scripts for hotline updates including date and time of last update
Work with Product Management to identify product offerings for customers
Work with IT to enhance IM so we can better track employee responses
Activate CATs earlier in process
Sales teams outside impacted region need to be engaged
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Personal Preparedness SharePoint
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BCP Tools and Platforms
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