CRISIS MANAGEMENTAn Action Plan Implemented in An Action Plan Implemented in

Connection with the Atypical Pneumonia Connection with the Atypical Pneumonia Virus Outbreak (SARS)Virus Outbreak (SARS)

1 April 20031 April 2003Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition

Centre (Management) LtdCentre (Management) Ltd

(Revised and updated as appropriate)(Revised and updated as appropriate)

Most current update: 17 April 2003 Most current update: 17 April 2003

PLAN OBJECTIVE

First, to heighten awareness of the potential impact of First, to heighten awareness of the potential impact of SARS on the personal wellbeing of the HKCEC staff and SARS on the personal wellbeing of the HKCEC staff and

their families, on staff’s work performance and on the their families, on staff’s work performance and on the Centre’s operations; secondly, to minimise the impact of Centre’s operations; secondly, to minimise the impact of

the virus on the staff’s personal wellbeing, staff’s the virus on the staff’s personal wellbeing, staff’s performance in the workplace and on HKCEC’s clients performance in the workplace and on HKCEC’s clients

and their stakeholders; and finally, to ensure a reasonable and their stakeholders; and finally, to ensure a reasonable level of venue operations are maintained considering the level of venue operations are maintained considering the advice by authorities and the level of risk that may exist.advice by authorities and the level of risk that may exist.

EMERGENCY

Any incident occurring in the venue Any incident occurring in the venue which endangers or which may pose which endangers or which may pose

a threat to life, property and/or a threat to life, property and/or business continuitybusiness continuity

OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES in dealing with an emergencyin dealing with an emergency

To save and protect lifeTo save and protect life To protect property, and to minimise To protect property, and to minimise

danger to and within the venuedanger to and within the venue To continue operation of the venue in To continue operation of the venue in

unaffected areas as much as possibleunaffected areas as much as possible

VENUE PLANNING EXERCISES Critique previous emergency actionsCritique previous emergency actions Apply any applicable emergency situation experiencesApply any applicable emergency situation experiences Continuously review advisories by all authoritiesContinuously review advisories by all authorities Anticipate the crisis, even worst casesAnticipate the crisis, even worst cases Stay current on media reportsStay current on media reports Develop and adopt written proceduresDevelop and adopt written procedures Review plans with local authorities & clientsReview plans with local authorities & clients Develop business continuity planDevelop business continuity plan Develop media plansDevelop media plans Develop critical path schedulesDevelop critical path schedules Remain open & flexible and prepare for changeRemain open & flexible and prepare for change

ANTICIPATING THE CRISIS Employee awareness and communication Employee awareness and communication Medical procedures – staff contact, symptoms Medical procedures – staff contact, symptoms

and infectionsand infections Health guideline applicationHealth guideline application Customer, guest or patron discovered on-site Customer, guest or patron discovered on-site

with symptomswith symptoms Employee work area closureEmployee work area closure Employee department area closureEmployee department area closure Employee medical examinationsEmployee medical examinations Employee leave policy if symptoms Employee leave policy if symptoms

experienced experienced

ANTICIPATING THE CRISIS Media plan including spokesperson chain Media plan including spokesperson chain

designation designation Staff with special medical status and Staff with special medical status and

associated risksassociated risksCommunity emergency or crisis requiring Community emergency or crisis requiring

venue spacevenue spaceMorale building – venue staffMorale building – venue staffClient needs and contingency planningClient needs and contingency planningContractor requirementsContractor requirementsGuests and public requirementsGuests and public requirementsManaging unnecessary public circulationManaging unnecessary public circulation

IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN

Employee awareness and communication

• Daily staff meetings – senior management• Operational staff meetings on-call• Memos to staff from HRD and MD• HRD as a “central clearing” location• HRD monitoring of WHO, CDC and H.K. Health & Labour

Department websites• Work area, locker room, canteen notices

Hygiene -Staff and venue

• Follow all official guidelines

• Exceed performance in meeting general maintenance guidelines

• Maximise ventilation (fresh air exchange)

• Minimise general venue circulation and use of washrooms

• Maximise attention to F&B operations and take all precautions in food preparations

Medical precautions Potential contact by staff

• Seek house doctor’s evaluation• Follow doctor’s advise• Anticipate 3-days leave for observation• Anticipate 10-days leave in worst case• Determine other staff with whom employee has had

reasonably close contact

Medical precautions Staff with symptoms

• Seek house doctor’s evaluation• Follow doctor’s advise• Anticipate 3-days leave for observation• Anticipate 10-days leave in worst case• Determine and notify other staff with whom

employee has had reasonably close contact

Medical precautionsStaff infection

• Grant medical leave• Determine and notify other staff with whom

employee has had contact• Initiate disinfection procedures in work areas• Initiate contingency plans for work duties• Maintain communications with family

Health Guideline Application

• Daily review by HRD of applicable websites• Notification by HRD of any updates• Daily review by dept heads for updates to modify

procedures and instructions as needed• Special emphasis on hygiene and ventilation• Be aware of external procedures/actions by others

Customer, guest or patron symptoms experienced on-site

• Record all known contact details for suspect• Determine locations visited, if possible, for potential

need for further action• Notify impacted persons if practical• Determine and notify staff in contact• Follow-up for results of suspect’s examination

Employee work area closure

• Close as required (pending a suspected person’s exam results)

• Initiate disinfection procedures as required

• Reopen ASAP

Employee department area closure

• Close as required (pending a suspected person’s exam results)

• Initiate contingency plan to re-establish department function

• Initiate disinfection procedures• Reopen ASAP

Employee medical examinations

• Doctor’s list availability for employees

• Voluntary exam at discretion of employee

• Mandatory exam for suspected employee contact or with symptoms

Employee leave policyfor contact situations

• 3-day leave for suspected contact

• 10-day leave for known contact

• Doctor’s advice for final determination of leave required

Media plan including spokesperson chain designation

• Prepare basic statement that can be distributed expeditiously to any media

• Include executive management quotes• Update statement daily Tailor statement for necessary

enquiries• Designate senior spokesperson to be available at all

times• Stick to published guidelines as basis of action

Staff with medical status and associated risks

• Determine staff members with special medical conditions more critical to the virus

• Provide for and monitor staff as required

• Consider any related special advisories

• Seek doctor’s advice

Community emergency or crisis requiring venue space

• Critical conditions and specific circumstances may create demand by government for extra space, for example, hospital type ward provisions. Be prepared for a response plus pros and cons in order to make decisions in minimal time.

Morale Building –Venue staff

• Daily meetings and regular communication• Transmission of meaningful, informative messages, positive whenever

possible• Caring about personal issues (families)• Offering restaurant coupons (include family)• Senior management to circulate the venue and communicate with staff,

expressing confidence• Encouraged leave without pay if employee desires

Client needs and contingency planning

• Utilise “To whom it may concern” letter to keep clients informed (see next slide)

• Initiate contact with client to ask for input

• Offer assistance to clients in their contingency planning

• Hold open dates for rescheduling events

This is to advise that the HKCEC's management is evaluating all matters very seriously with regard to the SARS issue. We are researching and reading websites hourly for any and all updates on the subject both for staff and facility related topics as well as any advice regarding public assembly related topics.

We are following all local and world health guidelines and advisories. We are meeting as management every morning to enhance procedures and enforcement consistent with these advisories. We are monitoring all employee health status daily, minimising the use of casual labour, and attempting to limit circulation in the venue except for invited guests and attendees at events, official tours and patrons to restaurants.

It is also worthy to note that we are exceeding advised procedures, we believe, related to general maintenance recommendations in the current guidelines and encouraging staff to exceed performance in regards to the general hygiene standards as advised in current advisories. The HKCEC is extremely spacious, new, clean and the fresh air exchange is above ASHRAE standards by over a factor of 2.

I hope you find this responsive and indicative of our commitment to the client, its guests and our community.

Contractor requirementswhen working within venue

• Require ID’s of contract employees• Enforce internal work rules and policies • Determine medical standards applied by

contractor regarding employees• Monitor work habits• Require daily report from company supervision

regarding employees with suspected symptoms

Guest and public requirements

• Prepare switchboard/operator FAQ & responses

• Sign venue to minimise circulation

• Brief CSRs and GSRs on all communications

• Offer guideline printouts at entrance counters

• Be prepared to answer question about actions taken (use “to whom it may concern” letter)

Managing unnecessary public circulation

• Prepare signage to serve notice of public circulation restriction; place at strategic positions at key entrances

The HKCEC is open today only The HKCEC is open today only for event attendees, restaurant for event attendees, restaurant

guests, those taking official tours, guests, those taking official tours, and Centre office users.and Centre office users.

Business Continuity Assessment

Business Continuity Assessment

• Personnel

• The Centre’s venues

• Technical Systems

• Accounting/Finance

• MIS/IT

Business Continuity AssessmentPersonnel

• Multiple offices, segregated, enclosed departments• Emphasis on personal hygiene• 8-menber Executive Leadership Team• Senior management team – daily meetings/updates• Department management chains defined• Multiple departmental teams are the norm• Interruption risk factor: Low

Business Continuity AssessmentGeneral Access Control

• Restricted access to computer server room, telephone operators’ room, security control rooms, duty engineer control offices and chiller plant room.

Business Continuity AssessmentVenues

• Multiple venues• Emphasis on hygiene• Ventilation emphasis (fresh air exchange)• Low overall occupancy• Unauthorised persons minimised• Interruption risk factor: Low

Business Continuity AssessmentBOD

• Independent teams of duty engineers/ technicians working in Ph. 1 and Ph. 2 duty control office

• Set up third duty engineer control office as standby • Other BOD staff members prepared to take up duty

engineer responsibilities when required• York requested to set up standby team to manage the

chiller plant if required.

Business Continuity AssessmentCritical Technical Systems

• Multiple locations for operation (BMS)• Multiple operators• Emphasis on personnel hygiene • Emphasis on area hygiene• Unauthorised persons minimised• Interruption risks factor: Low

Business Continuity AssessmentAccounting/Finance

• Multiple locations for systems’ operation• Management chain identified• Emphasis on area maintenance• IT support with low risks (next slide)• All records backed up daily• Interruption risks factor: Low

Business Continuity AssessmentMIS/IT

• Alternative location for systems’ operation• Management chain identified• Emphasis on personnel hygiene• Emphasis on area maintenance• All records backed up daily• Unauthorised persons minimised• Interruption risks factor: Low

Crisis Management Resources

A valuable lesson from the tragedy A valuable lesson from the tragedy surrounding the Concorde crashsurrounding the Concorde crash

“Management did all that was reasonable to prevent and mitigate the effects of the catastrophe (July 2000). It was able to demonstrate openly that very critical steps were taken in the aftermath of the disaster. Honesty, transparency and effective communication had a clear and fundamental financial value. Relevant and timely information was given. They demonstrated their ability to deal with challenging circumstances.”

In crisis situations

…companies seem to fall into two groups: recoverers, companies that emerge with an enhanced reputation and value, and non-recoverers, which suffer damage to their reputation.

INFLUENCINGINFLUENCING THE PRESS & MEDIA CAN GREATLY

REDUCE COMPLICATIONS

• Prepare general statement and update daily and distribute uniformly upon requests

• Anticipate media questions; be prepared• Use official sources for advice and guidelines to

justify actions and lack of actions• Focus on the positive• Use the press to get YOUR message across

BRIEFING THE MEDIA

Get across the message you want to be seen and heard even though it might not answer the question

Be sympathetic and concernedBe briefDo not be deflected from your message and repeat it

as many times as you believe necessaryBe prepared for a media conference following

incidents or issues; include members of the emergency medical services or advisory bodies

Do not show preferential treatment within media

DECISION MAKING IN A CRISIS

Specify your objective (focus on what is important) Work on the right problems Create imaginative/innovative alternatives Understand the consequences Clarify the uncertainties Think hard about the risk tolerances Consider linked decisions Encourage and guide the gathering of relevant

information and informed opinion

In times of crisis

• EXERCISE COMMON SENSE !

• ANTICIPATE!

• EXERCISE REASONABLE EXERCISE REASONABLE CARE!CARE!