Business Continuity Assessment Checklist

BUILDING FACILITIES

• Do you have evacuation procedures for your buildings?

• Are the fire exits clearly marked and fire procedures in place?

• Do you regularly practice fire drills?

• Do you have primary and secondary evacuation points at a suitable distance away from the building(s)?

• Do you have a site plan of your building(s)?

• Do you have generator backup systems in place?

• Do you have an alternative building to use in an emergency i.e. where your business or critical elements of your business could continue to operate from?

• Do you check on a regular basis that that the heating and air conditioning is working?

• Have you familiarised yourself and your staff with the location of the mains switches and valves (electricity, gas, water)?

• Do you carry out end of day inspections i.e. to check everybody has left?

• At the end of the working day do you have procedures in place to make sure that all appliances are switched off and doors and windows are locked?

• Do you regularly check the integrity of external fences and doors?

PERSONNEL

• Have you got a list of all employee contact telephone numbers and home addresses?

• Do your staff know who is in charge in the time of a crisis?

• Have your staff been given specific roles in the event of a crisis?

• If your business could not operate from its present location could your staff work from an alternative location, or some of them work from home etc?

• Do you have members of staff with first aid or medical training?

SECURITY

• Is there a security system installed?

• Do you have a security policy?

• Do you give advice or training on security?

• Do you check references fully?

• Are contractors checked fully (i.e. company as well as each individual)?

PAPER AND ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS

• Do you copy/back up your information?

• Do you store your critical paper documents in fire/waterproof containers?

• Do you have copies of critical accounts and contracts at a separate location?

• Is someone responsible for the upkeep of your files and accounts?

IT

• Are your IT systems critical to the running of your business?

• If your IT systems went down do you have manual processes that could maintain critical documentary/administrative functions?

• Do you know how long it would take to recover IT functions if your system went down?

• Who would restore your system if it went down and do you have their contact details?

• Do you have a tested IT disaster recovery plan?

• Is your computer anti-virus software up to date?

• Are documented IT security policies and procedures in place?

• Are all your computer users fully aware of email and internet usage policies?

• Is your company system part of a larger network?

• Do you know how many platforms/servers/applications or operating systems support critical business functions?

• Is expertise of how to use your IT system, knowledge of where critical documents are electronically stored etc, limited to one individual?

• Do you have vital computer information stored on back up disks held off premises?

SUPPLIERS

• Do you have alternative suppliers for critical equipment/ stores/ parts/ goods/ products etc?

• Do you have an arrangement with your critical suppliers where they will inform you if they cannot make a delivery?

• Do your suppliers have a business continuity plan?

• Do you have your suppliers correct contact details – both office hours and out of office hours?

COMPANY EQUIPMENT

• Do you have someone accountable for the assets of your company?

• Do you have an inventory and is it regularly checked?

• Do you have controls over the movements of your company equipment?

CUSTOMERS

• Do you have the correct contact details for all your main customers?

• Do you have any key customers who you will need to be in constant contact with during a crisis?

LOCATION

• Have you thought about the types of risk that might occur due to the actions/operations of other businesses near to you?

• Have you thought about the types of risk associated with the environment i.e. flooding from nearby river, snow, severe weather etc?

INSURANCE

• Do you have sufficient insurance to pay for disruption to business, cost of repairs, hiring temporary employees, leasing temporary accommodation and equipment etc?

• Do you have your insurance company’s details in order to contact them immediately at the time of an incident?

ASSESS THE RISKS

• How likely is it to happen?

• What effect will it have on the business?

• How can you cope with it i.e. what do you need to do to stay operational if it takes place?

• What preventative measures can you take to prevent them from happening or minimise the effect they will have on your business?

• Are you insured against the worst eventualities?

PUBLIC RELATIONS (MEDIA)

• Nominate a company spokesperson, ensure all staff know who it is, ensure that they have some training in media handling

• That your company gives out a consistent message

• Staff are kept informed

• Advertisements are placed in local or national papers as needed

GENERAL

• Business recovery plan
• List of employees with contact details
• Details of IT providers
• Contact details for clients and suppliers
• Building site plan
• Spare keys
• Computer back up tapes/discs
• First aid kit
• Stationary/message pads/coloured pens and pencils
• Torch with spare batteries
• Megaphone
• Tape
• Mobile phone/s fully charged
• Disposable cameras
• Dust and toxic fume masks

• Clearly documented

• Easily accessible

• Understood by key personnel