(109b) Pandemic Risk Management; Protecting People While Ensuring Business Continuity

The COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe in the latter half of 2019 and throughout 2020. In response, many companies implemented work from home policies, while others stopped operations entirely in an effort to limit the spread throughout their workforce and supporting communities.

This containment strategy was not universally viable; long-term shutdowns impacted economic viability of companies, some industries were designated as an ‘essential service’ and thus continued operations. These employers faced the proposition of balancing the needs of the business and the community with a continued responsibility to provide a safe workplace for employees.

This presentation will demonstrate how the application of bowtie analysis, a commonly adopted methodology in high hazard industries, can help identify the risks associated with continued operation in a pandemic to be better understood and managed, thus ensuring the safety of personnel, onsite contractors and the business.