In a world of floods, earthquakes and terrorist attacks, it is commonplace to hear about catastrophic events and the devastating effects they have on communities and the economy. It makes sense therefore for businesses to consider how they will survive a disaster.

Disaster recovery planning is the process of crafting a plan that sets out how a business will recover after it has undergone a catastrophic event. It details each step and process in how a business should handle, respond to and rebuild after a disaster. Disaster recovery plans are commonly overlooked by business owners; however this all-encompassing document can make the critical difference to whether a business is destroyed or survives.

Each business case is different and there may be other factors that require consideration depending on the sector. However, the following four points highlight the common issues that should be addressed in disaster recovery planning for any business.

Determine what can go wrong
An essential part of planning for a disaster is understanding what threats a business faces and what risks the business is vulnerable to. In making this assessment, prioritise which threats are the most frequent and how could they impact the business, both in terms of profitability and productivity. Is the business heavily reliant on a specific software system? Is the system prone to crashing? How much would it cost to replace it if it were damaged? Rank these threats in order of potential impact. Once this is done, review the business's insurance policies to reflect these priorities. This ensures that high-priority items that are essential to business functioning will be the first to be replaced in a disaster situation. 

Develop a contingency plan
In the case of a disaster or emergency the business and its employees should be aware of how to handle and manage the situation. A contingency plan should: designate a chain of command - names and job titles of the people responsible for leading others and making decisions, responding to directions, monitoring responses and assisting in the recovery to normal operations. The plan should include instructions for closing down machines and designated meeting points. Additionally, it may appoint the person responsible for actions specific to the work site - e.g. on a building site the site project manager may be responsible for accounting for all personnel. In some sectors, first-aid and evacuation procedures are dictated by legislation or industry benchmarks.

Be ready to respond
Ensure that all employees and personnel are familiar with the plan and are aware of what their responsibilities are. If required, provide the necessary training to employees so that they are able to perform their duties; e.g. training in first-aid, emergency equipment shut-down, building evacuation, fire extinguisher use or Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Once this is done, have a practice run of the plan to identify any potential weaknesses it has; use the exercise to make any necessary amendments and improve recovery time. And lastly, inform local emergency services of the plan so they are know what to expect. Often emergency services, such as the fire brigade, ambulance and police, will have useful insight into what works and what doesn't, as well as common pit-falls in procedures. 

Recovering
A disaster recovery plan is only complete when the business is able to resume its normal operations. In order to achieve this, several questions must be considered: Where will the business operate if its location is destroyed? Is replacement equipment available and how quickly can it be sourced? Has critical data been securely stored somewhere off-site? Is there a reliable mode of communication to keep all employees and personnel informed? Also, depending on the industry, suppliers and other supply-chain partners may need to be informed about the protocol to follow in the case that the business is out of action. In some cases there may be programs or organisations available that specialise in business recovery and damage control.

Remember that the disaster recovery plan must be reviewed periodically to ensure that it accurately reflects the priorities of the business as it evolves. Any new employees or personnel appointed to the business must also become familiar with its disaster recovery plan to ensure its effectiveness.

Lastly, one of the most important requirements for successful disaster recovery planning is that once the plan has been created, a copy of it should be stored securely off-site so that it is still accessible if the business site is damaged or destroyed. After all, there is no point in having the perfect disaster recovery plan if it goes up in smoke with the office!

Running a business can be difficult at the best of times, so it helps to have a plan to deal with the worst.