How Organisations Can Prepare for Summer Extreme Heat

Key takeaways

1. People do not plan to fail, instead, they fail to plan proactively.
2. Organisational-wide preparation is essential for mitigating the adverse impacts of soaring temperatures during extreme heatwaves. It includes the development of heatwave policies, employee safety plans, and training, along with provisions for hydration, cooling, and flexible work arrangements.
3. Proactive management of key service providers, with a focus on communication, SLAs, heatwave-specific preparedness plans, and contingency planning, is crucial to ensure uninterrupted services during heatwaves. Additionally, business continuity measures should address heat-related risks and include resilient energy and utilities, data protection, and supply chain resilience.

In this article, we delve into the significance of heatwave preparation and provide practical insights into how organisations can safeguard themselves against the adverse impacts of soaring temperatures as the scorching heat of summer approaches for some countries. From staying cool and hydrated to fortifying infrastructure and business continuity plans, this guide will help you navigate the upcoming summer with confidence and resilience.

Organisational-wide preparation

Preparing for a hot summer season, which often brings extreme heatwaves and potential challenges, is crucial for organisations.

Consider the following actions:

Heatwave Policy – Review existing or develop and communicate a new heatwave policy that outlines how the organisation will respond to extreme heat conditions. This policy should include guidelines for employee safety, work hours, hydration, and dress code.
Employee Safety – Develop employee safety plans that include evacuation procedures, communication protocols, and training to protect your workforce in the event of severe weather or flooding. This is vital for employees who are travelling and working off-site regularly.
Employee Training – Train employees on the risks associated with extreme heat and the importance of staying hydrated and cool. Provide information on recognising heat-related illnesses and the appropriate first aid measures.
Cooling Measures – Ensure that workplaces have adequate cooling measures, such as air conditioning, fans, and shaded rest areas, especially if they are working from home. Consider installing cooling stations or portable air conditioning units in areas where employees work outdoors.
Hydration – Promote regular hydration by providing access to clean, cool drinking water. Encourage employees to drink water throughout the day and avoid caffeine or alcohol, which can contribute to dehydration.
Flexible/Remote Work Arrangements – Consider implementing flexible work arrangements, such as adjusted work hours to avoid the hottest part of the day or remote work options if feasible.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – If employees are required to wear PPE, ensure that it is heat-appropriate and does not contribute to heat stress. Lightweight, breathable materials should be considered.
Health Monitoring – Implement a system for monitoring the health and well-being of employees during heatwaves. Encourage employees to self-report any heat-related symptoms and have a process in place for checking on vulnerable employees.
Emergency Response – Develop and communicate an emergency response plan for heat-related illnesses. Ensure that first aid supplies, including thermometers, are readily available, and employees are trained to respond appropriately.
Supply Chain Management – Assess and communicate with suppliers and vendors to ensure a stable supply of essential goods and services, especially those that may be impacted by heat-related disruptions. (Refer to the section “Proactively manage your key service providers”.)
Business Continuity – Review and update your organisation’s business continuity plan to account for potential disruptions caused by extreme heat, such as power outages or transportation delays. (Refer to the section “Proactively manage your business continuity“.)
Community Engagement – Consider engaging with local communities and authorities to stay informed about heat-related warnings and share resources or support if needed.
Communication – Keep employees informed about weather forecasts, heatwave warnings, and any changes to work schedules or policies. Use multiple communication channels to reach all employees, including remote workers. Find alternate communication channels as a backup to your primary channel.
Review Insurance Policies – Review insurance policies to ensure coverage for potential heat-related damages or losses.
Weather Monitoring and Escalation Rules – Assign responsibility for monitoring weather conditions and develop escalation rules or trigger points to inform your executive teams. Timely action will be required. So too is incident escalation.
Incident Management Teams (IMT) – Consider forming time-limited operational IMTs to be on stand-by where individual responsibilities are clearly defined and assigned.

Proactively manage your key service providers

It is critical to manage your key service providers especially when heatwaves can strain the provision of essential services to your organisation.

Consider the following actions:

Identify Critical Service Providers – Identify the key service providers that are essential for your organisation’s operations during the coming hot weather season, such as utilities (electricity, water), HVAC maintenance, and suppliers.
Communicate Expectations – Clearly communicate your expectations and service levels to service providers well in advance of the hot season. Discuss the importance of uninterrupted service and the potential impact of heat waves on your operations.
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) – Review and update existing SLAs with service providers where legally permissible to include provisions for extreme weather conditions. Specify response times, escalation procedures, and contingency plans for service interruptions.
Heatwave Preparedness Plan – Develop a heatwave-specific preparedness plan that outlines your organisation’s response and expectations and minimum service levels from your service providers during heatwaves.
Regular Maintenance – Ensure that service providers conduct regular maintenance and inspections of critical infrastructure, such as air conditioning systems and backup generators.
Emergency Contact Information – Exchange emergency contact information with service providers to facilitate rapid communication during heatwave-related issues.
Alternative Suppliers – Identify alternative service providers or suppliers in case your primary providers are unable to meet your needs during a heatwave.
Resource and Inventory Stockpiling – Stockpile essential resources like backup generators, spare parts, and critical supplies to minimise the risk of service disruptions.
Monitoring and Alerts – Implement monitoring systems to track the performance of critical services in real time in collaboration with your critical providers. Set up alerts for abnormal conditions or potential service failures, allowing for immediate response.
Collaborative Planning – Collaborate with service providers to develop joint heatwave response plans. Share information on your organisation’s heat-related vulnerabilities and ask for input on mitigation strategies.
Customer Support – Establish a dedicated time-limited customer support channel with service providers to report issues, request assistance, and track service restoration progress.
Supply Chain Resilience – Work with suppliers to assess their heatwave preparedness and resilience to minimise disruptions in your supply chain.
Continuous Communication – Maintain open and continuous communication with service providers throughout the hot season. Provide feedback on their performance and discuss opportunities for improvement.

Proactively manage your business continuity

From a business continuity perspective, consider the following:

Heatwave Preparedness Plan – Develop a comprehensive heatwave-specific preparedness plan that outlines your organisation’s strategies and actions during extreme heat events. Ensure this plan aligns with your overall business continuity strategy or organisational-wide business continuity plan.
Risk Assessment – Conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify vulnerabilities related to extreme heat. Consider the impact of heatwaves on your facilities, IT systems, supply chain, and workforce.
Heat-Resilient Infrastructure – Upgrade and maintain your physical infrastructure to withstand high temperatures. This includes HVAC systems, power generators, data centres, and facilities.
Energy and Utilities Resilience – Ensure a reliable power supply, especially during heatwaves when electricity demand can surge. Consider backup generators and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for critical operations.
IT Systems and Data Protection – Implement robust data backup and recovery solutions to protect against data loss or IT system failures caused by overheating. Store backup data off-site in a secure location to safeguard against site-specific heat-related risks.
Supply Chain and Vendor Resilience – Collaborate with critical suppliers and vendors to assess their heatwave preparedness and plans. Diversify suppliers and maintain contingency plans for supply chain disruptions.

In summary, as extreme heat looms over Australia, it’s crucial for organisations to prepare and manage business continuity effectively to mitigate potential disruptions caused by soaring temperatures, power outages, and communication breakdowns.