Environmental Health & Safety
Business Continuity
What is Business Continuity?
Business continuity is about ensuring operations can continue during a disruption, and how to resume to normal operations after the event.
The Lifecycle of Business Continuity Planning
The business continuity lifecycle consists of 4 key steps: Assessing potential threats and their impacts on functions, developing plans to address and mitigate those impacts, validating and exercising plans, and reviewing and revising plans regularly.
How is this Accomplished?
Performing a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) is the first step in determining the criticality of the processes a department performs. It identifies associated resource requirements the operation needs to continue functions during and after a business disruption. These requirements are then used to develop recovery strategies and plans.
What is a Business Continuity Plan?
A business continuity plan is a document that consists of the critical information an organization needs to continue operating during an unplanned event, and how to return to normal operations after the event.
The BCP states the essential functions of the department, identifies which systems and processes must be sustained, and details how to maintain them. It should consider any possible business disruption such as Loss of Facility, Loss of IT Network, Loss of Utilities, Loss of Vendors/Supply Chain, and Loss of Workforce.
Important elements of a Business Continuity Plan include:
- Processes and Process Dependencies
- Sites and Contingency Sites
- Vital Records
- Supplies/Materials
- Employee Rosters and Contact Numbers
- Vendors/Suppliers
- Response Plans/Procedures
- Outputs/Deliverables
- Review, Revision and Approval History
Benefits of a Business Continuity Plan
A Business Continuity Plan provides a blueprint that provides guidance and helps avoid confusion in the event of a serious disruption. The plan supports:
- Communication
- Service Continuation
- Information Flow
- Security, Data and Information
- Clear Responsibility/Accountability Chains
- Learning and Improving from every event
QUESTIONS or COMMENTS?
Contact EH&S at (585) 275-3241 or e-mail EH&S Questions.
This page last updated 4/25/2025. Disclaimer.
