What Is Crisis Management?

Words: Michael Rosser

Crisis management is a process that employers use to respond to, and recover from, unplanned events. The best time to develop a crisis management plan is before a crisis occurs. A crisis management plan can help companies maintain business continuity, protect their reputation, and ensure employee safety.


The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) assists in this process by requiring that every employer develop an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for each of their physical locations, whether that's an office or a construction project. 


OSHA specifies the minimum elements that an EAP must contain:
1. Means of reporting
2. Evacuation procedures and emergency escape routes
3. Procedures for critical operations
4. Accounting of employees
5. Rescue and medical duties
6. Contact persons





Sometimes this unplanned event can be small, involving just a few employees. But other times, it can involve everyone in the company office or all the workers on a construction site. We may need to develop both an 
Emergency Action Plan and a Crisis Management Plan.


For the EAP, the MCAA has provided its members with a ready-to-go template. It is Section IV of the Safety Manual available in the Safety Library section on the website. Just download the Microsoft Word file and fill in the necessary information for each job site.


For our Crisis Management Plan, we need to look more in detail as to how our company will prepare for a major event. Let’s examine some suggested elements to include in our plan:

  1. Organize a Team: Organize a competent crisis team. Ensure the appropriate person is assigned the correct responsibilities. Take time to evaluate these positions, as these individuals will either lead you to a successful solution or exacerbate the emergency.


  2. Gather and Record Detailed Information: Plan includes contingency procedures, telephone numbers, site plans, project sheets, company background information, general media statements, and as many details as possible. Discuss the plan with others in your company and research the elements to ensure accuracy.



  3. Train the Spokesperson(s): The designated spokesperson(s) needs to be comfortable with the responsibility and should be prepared to speak to the media. This person must know the dos and don'ts of dealing with the media, as well as techniques for effective communication.

  4. Train Field Supervisors: All field supervisors need to be trained for their roles as possible "temporary spokespersons" until the main person arrives on the scene.

  5. Perform Systematic Crisis Planning: Determine what kinds of crises are most likely to occur. Develop contingency procedures that can be implemented to cope with these emergencies.

  6. Keep All Information Current: Regularly take a few hours to keep your information up-to-date. You will waste precious time during a crisis looking for current information.

  7. Practice Your Plan: Some companies never have the chance to test the program until an actual emergency arrives. At that point, minor details may create major problems. Test your plan to determine what works and what needs more detail.

  8. Use Your Public and Community Relations Programs: Consider how your company's existing public and community relations programs can help during a crisis. Contact company employees involved in community organizations and alert them to their potential value in the event of an emergency.

  9. Keep Your Crisis Plan Accessible: Team members should keep a manual at work and at home. A copy of the appropriate information should be kept at each job site. In an emergency, you need all the details in front of you.


How about a checklist? When we talk about safety audits, we always recommend a checklist to simplify our task. Let’s have a checklist for our Crisis Management Plan. Here’s a basic, general checklist:

Immediate Actions:
  • Summon emergency assistance.
  • Secure the site, ensure no evidence is moved.
  • Notify any crisis team member.
  • Notify other key personnel as required by policy.
  • The crisis team gathers available facts and develops a communication strategy.
  • The crisis team establishes a unified corporate response and briefs the spokesperson.
  • Create a central information source for handling inquiries.
Secondary Actions:
  • Alert company personnel with crisis-related responsibilities.
  • Communicate with all employees in the immediate vicinity.
  • The Crisis Team prepares media materials.
  • Notify media, site neighbors, and community/opinion leaders as determined appropriate by the crisis team.
  • Issue status reports to employees.


We can make this checklist very detailed in nature, depending on the size and complexity of our company. Here’s a recommendation for a much more involved checklist:

STEP ONE – FOREMAN/SUPERINTENDENT:
  • Contact emergency services.
  • Gather all available information.
  • Notify Area Manager.
  • Inform job personnel and tell them to direct requests for information from outside groups to the on-site Project Manager.


STEP TWO - PROJECT MANAGER:

Get details on:
  • What happened?
  • Where did it happen?
  • Who is involved?
  • How did it occur?
  • Determine if the job site should be shut down.
  • Notify management and determine if a spokesperson is needed on-site.
  • Identify the temporary spokesperson and how he/she should respond to questions (Not to public).
  • Notify the person answering the phone on how to route calls.
  • Notify the owner.



STEP THREE - AREA/PROJECT MANAGER:
  • Notify appropriate governmental and legal authorities.
  • Inform any surrounding areas that may be affected by the incident.
  • Inform the Corporate Office.
  • Organize information updates for internal audiences.
  • Determine legal issues and contact our legal representative.
  • Update the spokesperson on all facts.

STEP FOUR - PROJECT MANAGER/SPOKESPERSON:
  • Inform the receptionist/job office manager to screen media calls for the spokesperson.
  • Anticipate media questions, develop responses, get clearance from management.
  • Assemble necessary background information.
  • Write and get clearance for a name release, if needed.
  • Start media log sheets.



STEP FIVE - SPOKESPERSON:

If you elect to give a media briefing:
  • Make sure a company representative always escorts them.
  • Instruct reporters on any restrictions on movement or photos.
  • Advise reporters of the time and place for future updates.
  • Follow up on additional media inquiries.


Are there other resources we can use to develop our plan? Absolutely! OSHA provides a guide. It’s Publication 3088 and is available on the OSHA website in the Publications section found under the Help and Resources tab.



Here at Corporate Safety Services, we have developed a Crisis Management and Communications Plan that you can use as a basis for your own plan. This document is available to download from our website, www.corporatesafetyservices.com, under the Files tab. As always, if you have questions or comments, you can email us at bill@corporatesafetyservices.com or mike@corporatesafetyservices.com.




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