Bass, Berry & Sims attorney Jessie Zeigler authored an article that was published in Manufacturing Business Technology about managing plant disasters. In potentially dangerous industries, it is vital for manufacturing organizations to have well-prepared and communicated crisis response plans before any critical situation arises. As many know, the hours and days following a crisis are crucial – not only for brand image and employee morale, but also to avoid negative legal ramifications that could arise when individuals within an organization do not know the correct steps to ensure proper compliance.
As Jessie points out in the article, a crisis response plan should be prepared well in advance of any critical situation and include the following key steps:
- Draft an internal company response
- Prepare an external company response
- Ensure safety
- Preserve the scene
- Manage cell phone photos/videos
- Protect your brand
- Determine any other notifications that may need to be made
“In the heat of a disaster is the time to make a good first public impression, preserve critical evidence, ensure employees’ safety, avoid the complications of a similar crisis at another plant and respond responsibly to families of the injured or deceased – all while you are managing liability concerns,” said Jessie. “Remember, the time to prepare for a disaster is now – not when it happens.”
The full article, “Top Tips for Managing Plant Disasters,” was published on October 17, 2017, by Manufacturing Business Technology.