Recovery From Natural Disasters

CCPS Pamphlet Series
Recovery from Natural Disasters
This pamphlet analyzes and presents, in a “how to use”

format, the past experiences and successes of various CCPS
member companies, their “Lessons Learned,” and advice on
how to prepare for and recover from a natural disaster.
Recovery from Natural Disasters 1

The Center for Chemical Process Safety was established by the American Institute of Chemical
Engineers in 1985 to focus on the engineering and management practices to prevent and
mitigate major incidents involving the release of hazardous chemicals and hydrocarbons. CCPS is
active worldwide through its comprehensive publishing program, annual technical conference,
research, and instructional material for undergraduate engineering education. For more
information about CCPS, please call 646-495-1371, e-mail [email protected], or visit
www.aiche.org/ccps.
Copyright 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers
This second edition was compiled by Adrian L. Sepeda, CCPS Staff Consultant with input from
Charles Cowley, CCPS Staff Consultant, and oversight by Ms. Louisa Nara, CCPS Technical
Director. It is made available for use with no legal obligations or assumptions (i.e. Use at your
own risk). Corrections, updates, additions, and recommendations should be sent to Ms. Nara at
[email protected] .
It is sincerely hoped that the information presented in this document will lead to an even more
impressive record for the entire industry; however, the American Institute of Chemical
Engineers, its consultants, CCPS Subcommittee members, their employers, and their employers’
officers and directors disclaim making or giving any warranties, expressed or implied, including
with respect to fitness, intended purpose, use or merchantability and/or correctness or accuracy
of the content of the information presented in this document. As between (1) American
Institute of Chemical Engineers, its consultants, CCPS Subcommittee members, their employers,
and their employers’ officers and directors and (2) the user of this document, the user accepts
any legal liability or responsibility whatsoever for the consequence of its use or misuse.

Contents
I. Preamble and Introduction
II. Preplan
A. Risk Assessment
B. Natural Disaster Plan
C. Communications
D. Logistics
E. Security, Identification , and Access Permissions
F. Drills and Cumulative Learnings
G. Information Sources
III. Shortly Before

A. Securing the Facility
B. Supplies and Shelter
C. Backup Systems
IV. During
A. Safety
B. Security
C. Communications
V. After
A. Damage Assessment & Short Term/Emergency Repairs
B. Security
C. Communications with Outside World
D. Recovery
E. Staffing
F. Restart
G. Critique
VI. Recovery
VII. References
VIII. Appendices
A. Example List of Major Decisions to Be Made
B. Example List of Suggested Supplies
C. Example Checklist of Communication Equipment
D. Example List of Interdependencies
E. Example Risk Analysis for Potential Onsite Consequences of Concern
F. Example Risk Analysis for Potential Offsite Consequences of Concern

I. Preamble
Past Natural disasters have tested preparedness and response plans of the chemical and
petrochemical industries not only on or near the U. S. Gulf coast, but along the Atlantic coast,
interior sections of the US, and overseas operations. These natural disasters have occurred in
the form of tornados, hurricanes, tropical storms, tsunamis, storm surges, earthquakes and
uncontrolled wildfires. 1 The results have been everything from local flooding to widespread
flooding of significant portions of coast lines due to storm surge,2 tremendous destruction from
high winds and/or rising water, tidal waves, and fire damage to valuable wooded interior
sections of countries. Although responses were generally well managed and as efficient as
conditions allowed, there is always room for improvement. Experience is often said to be the
best teacher, but everyone should not have to experience the same adverse thing to learn from
it. AIChE’s Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) member companies believe that sharing
experiences and learnings from the past and others are effective and efficient ways of improving
performance and reducing risk without suffering harm.
With that goal in mind, this pamphlet, originally funded by the generous support of the United
Engineering Foundation, pulls together, analyzes, and presents in a “how to use” format the
past experiences and successes of various CCPS member companies, the “Lessons Learned,” and
advice on how to prepare for and recover from a natural disaster. The natural disaster scenario
that is the focus of this paper are storms—hurricanes and tropical storms specifically. The other
common natural disasters, tornados, tsunamis, earthquakes and uncontrolled wildfires usually
have little or no lead/preparation time, so the suggestions offered in the body of this paper may
not be applicable. These natural disasters are addressed summarily in Appendix G.
Most of this information in this paper comes from workshops in 2006, with the April workshop
and the June teleconference as the focal events. Members of the CCPS Technical Steering
Committee who participated in the June teleconference, Scott Berger—CCPS Director, Karen
Person—CCPS Project Engineer, Karen Tancredi—Dupont, and Adrian Sepeda—CCPS Staff
Consultant, are recognized for the role they played in bringing this project to fruition. The
reader is reminded that this pamphlet merely “suggests” but in no way sets a standard or
expectation for performance or actions. Ultimately it is the responsibility of each company and
its employees to act on their beliefs and available information to secure their site and protect
their employees, the community, and the environment from harm. 3
A risk based approach in addressing the phases of dealing with a natural disaster—preplanning,
just before the disaster strikes, during the disaster, and after the disaster recovery is used for
1
Much more information and Lessons Learned now exist on Earthquakes and Tsunamis. Search for it.
2
Storm surge refers to the abnormal rise of seawater during a hurricane that can flood coastal areas.
Storm surge was the culprit behind much of the damage sustained during Superstorm Sandy along the
New Jersey Shore and in New York City, where a 13-foot wave submerged much of Lower Manhattan.
3
Your suggestions, “Lessons Learned,” and comments are welcome. This is the second edition of what
we plan to make as a living document. The more information that is gathered, codified, and generally
presented to users of this pamphlet, the better it becomes. Send your feedback to [email protected] and
mention this pamphlet by name.

chronological clarity. The appendices provide checklists and examples that can be customized
to suit the user’s specific situation, resources, and company culture.
Introduction
The CCPS chemical and petrochemical company members are well grounded in using risk
evaluations as a tool to operate their businesses safely. This paper uses that same risk
evaluative approach in preparing for, enduring, and recovering from a natural disaster. Each
phase of the preparation and recovery should be evaluated for risks considering probabilities,
consequences and available resources to abate risks. This facilitates the preplanning,
prioritization, scheduling, and evaluation of actions for effectiveness and impact.
Risk assessments (generally worst case scenarios, low probability events, and expected events)
should be made covering two broad categories for each of the potential Natural Disasters to
which your facility may be exposed:
• the risk that a natural disaster imposes on the safety and security of your facility, its
contents, equipment, chemicals, market share, and personnel
• the risk that your facility (while being impacted by a natural disaster) imposes on the
surrounding community and its inhabitants, ecosystem, and site personnel.
These risk evaluations facilitate understanding of appropriate actions to take, when to take
them, and the required communications for them to be effective.
II. Preplan
A. Risk Assessment
To adequately prepare for any disaster, the risks must be identified, analyzed, and prioritized.
This assessment for a manufacturing facility includes two separate considerations. The first
analysis is to determine the risks that the natural disaster imposes on the facility itself. The
second analysis is to determine what risks the facility imposes on the employees, the ecosystem,
and the community as a consequence of the disaster. These risks may be similar or completely
different from the risks the facility naturally imposes on the community during normal
operations.
The risk assessment process highlights decisions that should be made regarding what can be
sacrificed and what is to be secured, perhaps at all costs. It may also be dynamic, addressing
changing risks with changing circumstances. Depending on your risk assessment methodology,
you may estimate actual risk or prioritize identified risks. Either way it gives you a framework
for managing them.

1. Risks the Natural Disaster Imposes on Facility:
Consider the hazards the natural disaster will bring to your facility. These might be rising
water/flooding, high winds, heavy rain, storm surge 4, electrical disturbances, ground tremors,
etc., or a combination of all of these. Convert those hazards to risks by estimating the
probability of occurrence and then the consequences if they occur. Probabilities are easier to
estimate because they are often disaster specific—for instance, if the natural disaster is a
hurricane you can expect heavy rain and strong winds. Hurricanes often spawn tornadoes so
that probability should be relatively high also. Expect past problems to be problems again. For
instance, if flooding has been a problem in the past, expect it again.
Estimating consequences is more difficult—essentially because it involves imagining the

unimaginable. Your plans should be for the expected scenarios and the worst case scenarios; do
not spend much time evaluating scenarios with relatively low level consequences. If you are
prepared for the worst case, the lesser consequences will usually be covered also. (Note: if this
is not the case, evaluate low, high, and expected probability scenarios.) See Appendix E—
Example List of Risk Analysis for Potential Onsite Consequences of Concern.
2. Risks the Facility Imposes on the Employees, Ecosystem and the Community:
Knowing the risks and potential consequences at your facility during a natural disaster helps you
estimate the risks your facility will impose on the on-site employees, other facilities and their
employees on-site, the ecosystem, and surrounding community. Determine these risks by
estimating the probability of occurrence and then estimating the consequences if they do occur.
Use the same logic that you used for estimating risks to your facility, but recognize that your
facility could, should it lose containment of chemicals, energy, or site materials, impose
significant risks to employees remaining onsite, other manufacturing sites, the surrounding
community (people structures, and infrastructure), and the ecosystem. Your plans should be for
the worst case scenarios; do not spend a lot of time evaluating relatively low level
consequences. If you are prepared for major consequences, the lesser consequences will
usually be covered also. To estimate offsite consequences, consider those that might occur
within your facility and convert them to an outside-of-the-facility impact. See Appendix F—
Example List of Risk Analysis for Potential Offsite Consequences of Concern.
B. Natural Disaster Plan
The Natural Disaster Plan should document all of the things that you want to happen (your
plans) for all of the considered events (disasters). It describes “who” is to do “what,” “when,”
and “how.” Using the risk based approach identifies and documents the ways that you will
address 1) the risks your facility will incur due to the disaster and 2) the risks your facility will
impose on others, all within the “who,” “what,” “when” and “how” descriptions. The plan
should also document the communication protocols to be used and any interdependency
4
Storm surge, which refers to the abnormal rise of seawater during a hurricane that can flood coastal
areas, was the culprit behind much of the damage sustained during Superstorm Sandy along the New
Jersey Shore and in New York City, where a 13-foot wave submerged much of Lower Manhattan.

opportunities. Finally, your plan should create two emergency command centers, one onsite
and one offsite, to coordinate all activities and serve as communication hubs.
Your Natural Disaster plan should include at least the following:
• Emergency Command and Communication Centers—these centers (either real or

virtual) will serve as activity coordination and communication hubs.
o The offsite Emergency Command Center should be remote from the disaster’s
effects. Its function is to coordinate all emergency response, recovery and
restart type activities, arrange for assistance and repairs, and respond to needs
of the manufacturing facility or employees therein.
o The onsite Emergency Command center, if there is one, should be staffed by a
small count crew with specialized expertise and specific assignments. Their
function is to monitor the affects of the disaster on the facility and resultant
affects on the surroundings so that appropriate and timely actions can be taken
to minimize risks, on and offsite impacts, keep the facility in a safe state, and
return the facility to service as soon as is practical and safe to do so. For the
onsite staffers to determine the affects of the disaster on the facility they will
need to monitor and observe the facility throughout the disaster. This may
entail the installation of special instrumentation specific to the disaster
expected (wind speed and direction monitoring for hurricane winds, for
instance) and the ability to see out of the Emergency Command center. Since
doors will be closed and windows barricaded, normal visual positions may be
inaccessible. Consider having a protected window(s) or periscope type device(s)
for observing the outside conditions during the disaster.
 SAFETY NOTE: Because of its purpose, the command center may be
relatively air tight if not properly ventilated. Special safety precautions
should be taken to ensure that the atmosphere is not contaminated by
equipment and/or depleted. Consider installing several battery
operated oxygen sensors with low oxygen alarms.
• Activation prompts and system—includes the activation criteria (prompts) and the
communication systems for notification of activation
• Staffing assignments—to get the right people in the right places doing the right things at
the right time
• Evacuation plans—for removing unnecessary personnel before the disaster and for
emergency evacuation (should the need arise) of those remaining in the facility during
or shortly after the disaster
• Emergency onsite power supplies—in case the utility electrical power supply is
interrupted (which is usually a high probability).
• Communication systems and protocols—for sending and receiving information before,
during and after the disaster (Note: recent experience has proven that cell phones,,
tablets, etc. may be an unreliable mode of communication. The communication
infrastructure may be compromised by the event. Consider backup systems such as
satellite phones, etc.

• Protection plans for business-critical equipment, information, and data—a description
and action plan for how these will be protected or sheltered from the hazards (i.e. risk
management)
• Security plans—to ensure that onsite and offsite personnel (employees and non-
employees), facilities, chemicals, equipment, etc. are properly protected from intruders
• Antiterrorism plans—recognize that terrorists may view a natural disaster as an
opportunity to cause intentional damage.
• Safety plans—for last minute housekeeping activities and for the implementation of any
special safety protocols to be used only during the emergency
• During disaster configuration—how the facility should be physically configured (and
staffed) to weather the disaster considering the risk analysis results and recognition of
salient interdependencies
• Supplies—what supplies will be on hand, where they will be stored and how they will be
accessed, including cash? Depending on the scope of the disaster, cash may be the only
way to buy things after the disaster for some time.
• Quality assessment/Quality control—a description of how the plan is to be kept up to
date, accurate, and appropriate for the types of disasters predicted. Usually this
includes periodic review, drills and critiques plus “Lessons Learned” from others.
Your Natural Disaster plan should also consider the following elements:
1. Interdependency:
Interdependency is the relationship of how your facility depends on and influences other things
around it and how those things depend on and influence your facility. Interdependencies
should be communicated to any and all agencies and/or organizations that might benefit from
that knowledge. A plan for the effective use of interdependencies to facilitate disaster recovery
should be developed, shared with, and agreed upon by all affected parties.
Electrical power is an interdependency example. Your manufacturing facility may have a

cogeneration facility onsite capable of supplying the power needed to operate the facility. The
local commercial power generating company serves as your backup. You are dependent on
them for power when your cogeneration system goes down. You also need power from them to
start up your cogeneration system; and, you need them to take any excess power you generate.
They in turn operate a certain number of generators because they are expecting your facility to
normally consume a minimal amount of power or even supply some power back into the grid.
They are impacted by what happens at your manufacturing facility and your facility is impacted
by what happens at their generating plant. In other words you are interdependent.
Your natural disaster plan should include all interdependencies your facility has. Particular
attention should be given to those interdependencies that would play a major role during or
after an emergency. For instance, if we follow through with the example above and your onsite
cogeneration system is down due to the disaster, you will need power from the commercial
generator to get your system up and running. Why would they spend time just to get your
system up? Because when your system is running you can supply power to the grid for others to
use, thereby effecting a faster and safer recover for all users on the grid. Effective use of
interdependency is a key, but often hidden asset. Make sure that those who will be making

disaster recovery decisions, particularly the state and federal agencies, know about and
understand the interdependencies in your area. See Appendix D—Example List of usual
Interdependencies.
2. Inventory Philosophy:
A key risk decision that must be made is how to handle inventories. The decision process must
consider the risks associated with leaving the inventories (feed stocks/raw materials, in-process
materials, and finished goods) at normal levels verses decreasing them. To make this analysis,
estimate the risk (consequences and probability) of loss of containment and compare that to the
estimated consequences and probability of unwanted scenarios due to lack of inventory. For
instance, if a tank contains a flammable toxic liquid, you should evaluate the probability and
consequence of loss of containment. If it is reasonable that some loss of containment may
occur during the disaster and the liquid, if spilled, would pollute waterways, groundwater and
could possibly ignite, compare that risk to risks associated with removal prior to the disaster.
This analysis should consider risks associated with the deinventorying process, what would
happen to the empty tank—float off, wind damage etc., and risks associated with reinventorying
the tank and preparing it for reuse. Your analysis might indicate that refilling the tank with
water to prevent float off damage is a viable action. If that is the case, don’t forget to analyze
the risks associated with preparing the tank for process chemicals after the disaster and possible
startup issues because of latent water.
An inventory philosophy and plan should be made for each vessel of concern. Potentially, the
situations would be different and the risk analyses might yield different results. The inventory
philosophy should be converted to action plans that are to be enacted during the early stages of
preparing for the disaster. Coordinate your Inventory Philosophy (Section II. B.) with your
Logistics plan (Sections II. D.).
3. Utility Services:
The same risk analysis process should be made to determine the actions to take regarding utility
services. This would apply to inbound utility services (water, electricity, fuel, purchased
compressed air from a neighbor plant, etc.) and outbound services (cogeneration excess
electricity, fuel sold, compressed air sent offsite, etc.). Consider interdependencies when
making this risk assessment. Do not assume that it is less risky to discontinue all services.
Conduct a risk assessment to decide which services to continue and which ones to discontinue
during the disaster.
4. Emergency Onsite Power Supplies:
The risk analysis for electrical power interruption is generally straight forward. Determine what
items in your facility must have electrical power to meet the functions described in your Natural
Disaster Plan. If the facility is shut down, (and it probably is at this point), there will be a
significant reduction in electrical power needs—potentially to the point that emergency onsite
generators can meet the needs described in your Natural Disaster Plan. Even though it is
probable, it is not positive, so the availability should be confirmed.

Your risk analysis should delineate what will need emergency power back up and why, and
should also give you guidance as to how the onsite emergency electrical supply system should
be configured. It may indicate that only a few large generators are appropriate or that several
smaller generators provide the best option. Either way, consider holding in reserve a few small
generators that use little fuel for servicing critical systems—such as your communication
systems, ventilations systems, battery chargers, and alarms, in case a primary generator fails.
They may be needed if fuel supplies are almost exhausted and/or if large generators cause
unexpected risks. Be sure that these smaller generators can easily “plug in” to the critical
electrical circuits.
5. Staffing Plan:
A key decision here is whether or not the facility will be staffed during the natural disaster. The
second decision is if it is to be staffed, by whom should it be staffed and what are they to do?
Key considerations in this decision process should be:
• Why staff the plant?—there must be a valid reason, such as significant risk reduction,
for you to decide to keep people in harms way.
• What will you want them to do?—clearly define their roles after the plant has been
evacuated and prior to the natural disaster, during the natural disaster, and after the
disaster. Develop a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) for each of the tasks you expect of them
and establish appropriate safety and health procedures and protocols they should
follow.
• Who should they be?—identify people based on the skills needed to fulfill your
expectations. Request volunteers with the needed skills; don’t assign an unwilling
person. Recognize that this team of volunteers may have a different order of command
and authority than during normal times. Choose volunteers who understand that
potential change and can live with it as well as people who can work together in
isolation for several days.
• How will they be rescued if necessary?—talk this over with the federal, state, and local
emergency response agencies.
If the decision is to staff the facility during the natural disaster, primary staffers and alternates
should be named, trained, and educated as to their assignments, performance expectations, and
reporting scheme. Particular attention may be required for the families of those who will staff
the facility during this time. For these staffers to perform as needed, it is important that they
know that their families are safe. Plans must be in place to assure that their families are
protected and/or evacuated.
6. Data Protection:
Data protection falls in to two broad categories—onsite or offsite. Onsite data protection
requires the recognition of the difference between volatile data and fixed data. Volatile data
requires continuous power if it is to be retained whereas fixed data does not. For instance, your
computer systems contain both types of data. When you save a file to the hard drive, that data
is fixed and no electrical power is required for it to remain there. On the other hand, if you fail
to save it and shut your computer down, the data is lost because it was in the part of the

memory (often called “flash” memory) that requires power to function. For those using a
distributive computer control system (DCS) some of the data may be volatile and must be
protected via emergency power supply—even when the system is not functionally controlling
your facility. Each facility should analyze where their critical data resides, what type of memory
contains it and then establish secure systems to protect that data during all type of service
interruptions. Consider making copies of and securing Distributive Control Systems (DCS) and
other critical computer systems configuration data just in case some of it is in the “flash”
memory and all power, including emergency and battery power, fails.
Some data may already reside offsite having been transferred via internet routes, “T” line
transfers, or other physical or electronic transfer modes. This data may inherently be protected
from local natural disasters simply because of its remoteness and redundancy. Other onsite
data can be collected and sent offsite to secure locations via those same routes or simply by
making electronic copies and sending via a variety of modes. Regardless, it is important to
identify data that should be protected, develop a protection scheme, and then put that scheme
into action prior to the onset of the natural disaster.
7. Safety Procedures:
It may be appropriate to modify safety procedures and protocol during and immediately after
the natural disaster. This is not a lessening of safety, but rather an adaptation to the special
circumstances. Some changes may involve not having the usual personnel available for checking
and authorizing certain safety procedures, such as MOCs or lock outs, etc. To manage this risk,
ensure that those who will be involved in authorizing safety permits have the proper training
and experience to do so and that they fully understand their role and responsibilities. Conduct a
risk analysis using your management of change procedure to uncover any unrecognized
unwanted consequences of modified safety procedures.
While all safety procedures are important, take special care with management of change (MOC)
requests and pre-startup safety reviews (PSSRs). There will be pressure to quickly approve
requested changes necessitated by plant damage, unusual equipment configuration, and/or the
rush to return to normalcy. No shortcuts allowed! The facility may be in an unusual
configuration and contamination may also be present. Changes must be reviewed thoroughly
and with special attention to hidden consequences. PSSRs must be done with critical diligence
since there may be many potential anomalies and hidden hazards.
C. Communications
Communications during and after an emergency or disaster are more than just a convenience;
they are essential for personnel safety, ecosystem protection, and facility well-being. Therefore,
preplanning your communication strategy is a key ingredient in ensuring its reliability and
effectiveness. To ensure that this vital link exists, two things are needed—the right equipment
and a plan for how it will be used.
1. Communications Equipment:
Conventional communication equipment may or may not work during a disaster. Hope that it
does, but have a plan should it fail. It is common and almost expected that land line telephone

systems and wireless systems may fail. Your cell phone may be no more useful than a rock to
throw at someone to get their attention. With these out of service your facility will be isolated
unless your disaster plan includes alternate communication systems.
• Get GETS: Register for GETS, the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service
that supports federal, state, local, and tribal government, industry, and non-
governmental organization personnel in performing their National Security and
Emergency Preparedness missions. GETS provides emergency access and priority
processing in the local and long distance segments of the Public Switched Telephone
Network when regular telephone service is congested. To learn more about GETS
and/or register, go to: http://gets.ncs.gov/.
• Radio: Consider purchasing a NOAA Weather radio with a warning tone and battery
back up for your emergency command centers.
• Cell Phones: Increase the chance of connecting with a cell telephone service that is
operable by subscribing to several different providers.
• Satellite Phones: Consider purchasing or renting satellite telephones and a base
station. Satellite phones are more complicated to operate than cell phones so train
several people in their use. They also require a relatively unobstructed path to the
satellite. Plan on using them outdoors or connected to a remote antenna.
• Internet Communication Systems: Computer and PDA internet-based devices may
work in bad weather if the sending, relay, and receiving systems are still intact.
Consider having key personnel or the emergency command post stocked with a
computer and a PDA device (Blackberry, I-Phone, etc.). Each will need a contracted
internet provider. Consider allowing this “emergency use computer” to be directly
connected to the “outside” world and not routed through your company’s firewall,
spam filters, etc. These systems could hinder or completely block its use during an
emergency.
• Citizen Band Radios: CB’s have long been recognized and used as emergency use
communication devices. Consider having a CB base station and an appropriate number
of portable units in your emergency command post. CB operators must be licensed
and may need training on the equipment you buy. There may be licensed CB operators
already working at your facility who would volunteer to staff the equipment in an
emergency.
• Walkie-Talkies: These may or may not help you communicate with the “outside” world,
but will generally allow you to communicate with those left to staff the plant during the
emergency. If you already have a system, make sure that your emergency command
post has the ability to use it (perhaps add a second base station in the command post)
and that extra radios are available. If you do not use this type communication system,
consider purchasing a small one for your emergency command post use only. Keep a
stock of charged batteries available and put the battery chargers on your emergency
power supply.

2. Communications Plan:
All the equipment in the world will not help if you don’t have anyone to communicate with. So,
you need a communication plan—in fact, you need several communication plans.
• State and Federal Emergency Services: It is important that State and Federal Emergency
Service Providers be able to communicate with your Company’s Emergency Response &
Coordination Center and the facility being impacted by the natural disaster (if it is
staffed). To facilitate this, establish and agree on communication protocols with each
agency and exchange lists of telephone numbers and people to call. Agree on who calls
whom and when. Call prompts might be agreed upon periodic (every hour, for instance)
updates or when there are significant changes in risks or circumstances. As part of the
preplan, all communications modes should be tested.
o To improve the probability that Communication Plans actually work properly
when needed, strongly consider including the state and Federal emergency
response agencies in your table top exercises and mock drills. By so doing,
communication issues can be identified and corrected before they are a “life
and death” communication. Further, it gives the Federal and state authorities
the opportunity to understand your plan and offer improvement suggestions
just as you have the same opportunity to critique their plans.
• Company Emergency Response & Coordination Center: This is your communication
center for managing emergencies and disaster response. Obviously, to function
effectively, it must have the ability to gather and disseminate information. This facility
or system should be located so that it is not directly impacted by the disaster itself. It
should be able to communicate in all available modes—land line telephone, GETS, cell
telephones, satellite telephones, internet devices/PDAs/computer e-mails, CB radios,
etc. Since it will function as the hub of most communications, it should have an up to
date list of contacts, telephone numbers and e-mails. A plan or protocol as to who
handles the calls should be established and tested. As part of the preplan, all
communications modes should be tested.
• Employees: Your employees may or may not be displaced by the disaster. Regardless,
they need a way to contact you, and you probably want to talk with them. To
communicate with employees not in the plant, consider one or both of the following
mechanisms.
o Establish a 1-800 telephone number/”hot-line” that they can call to:
1. talk with someone about their status and the plant’s status,
2. leave a message, or
3. hear a message.
The base or operator/receptionist of the 1-800 line should be remote from the natural
disaster area. The line can be staffed full time or it can serve only as a recorded
message center. Make sure that all of your employees know the 1-800 number and how
it is to be used. Explain that if they are displaced, they can use this system to let the
company know where they are and what their status is as well as hearing your status.

You may want to coordinate the use and staffing of this 1-800 line with the Company
Emergency Response & Coordination Center mentioned above.
o Establish a computer internet site or Web page that can receive and send e-
mails. Use and staff it much like you would the 1-800 number call in system.
Publicize the internet site along with the 1-800 emergency telephone number.
Remember that everyone is not internet fluent, so if you can have only one
emergency communication system for your employees, use the 1-800
telephone system.
As part of the preplan, all communications modes should be tested periodically to

assure availability when needed.
• Communications and Education: Each company should establish when the preplan
actions are to be initiated. That decision should trigger a refresher training and
education effort. Employees and their families need to be given last- minute/up to date
information so that they can take care of themselves and help you take care of the
facility. It is important that the families of employees who will remain onsite to help are
safe and that the employee knows it.
o For Employees: Make sure that all employees know how to take care of their
families as a first priority and offer assistance if needed. Tell the employees
who will remain onsite the contact numbers and methods that are expected to
be available for contacting their families and for their families to contact them.
Remind each employee of the part they are to play in securing the plant site for
the natural disaster and conduct overview/refresher training sessions, if
needed. If special equipment, such as satellite phones, etc. is to be used,
conduct refresher training on where it is, how to access it, and how it is to be
used. Go over the assignment list and reporting protocol and compensate for
any absences or vacancies.
o For Families: Send disaster preparedness pamphlets to each employee’s home

so that they can properly prepare their home for the disaster, gather supplies
and plan their evacuation mode and route should they choose to leave the area.
Communicate with families that have special needs to ensure their safety.
Include contact information in the packet you send to the families so that
employees offsite can let the company know where they are and find out what
you want them to do. Also include information for families who will have a
family member remaining at the site to contact the company for information
about the site and their family member.
D. Logistics
Having people and materials located where they are safe but can be accessed quickly is a key
component of preplanning that minimizes ongoing damage and facilitates recover after a
disaster. The two broad groups to be considered are 1) emergency recovery: assistance,
materials and supplies, and 2) manufacturing materials: raw materials and products. Make
arrangements with the local, state, and federal agencies that will control access to the disaster

area so that your people and materials will be allowed into the impacted area when needed.
(See Section II E below for a more detailed discussion on access credentials.)
I. Emergency Recovery:
Some people have specialized skills and expertise that may be needed during or immediately
after an emergency to minimize safety hazards, onsite or offsite damage, and/or environmental
contamination. Choose these people carefully based on their expertise, ability to function under
pressure and adverse circumstances, and their safety ethic. Your preplan should position these
people out of harm’s way during the disaster but make them available quickly should the need
arise. Make sure that your emergency command center communication team knows who these
people are, what they can do, and how to activate them.
Emergency recovery materials and supplies (such as food, water, clothing, shelter, first aid,
repair materials, extra communication equipment, etc.) should be staged and stored in a secure
area not expected to be impacted by the disaster, but readily available to replenish exhausted or
damaged onsite supplies. Have a delivery system predesigned and ready to respond as the need
arises and flexible enough to gather additional items if not already stocked.
II. Manufacturing Materials:
In your risk assessment, you developed an inventory philosophy (Section II. B.) regarding storage
of feed stocks and finished goods onsite or offsite. Based on those decisions, develop a staging
plan if one is needed for feed stocks/raw materials and finished goods. Conduct a risk
assessment of the staging plan and available options. Just because the materials are not on
your site during the disaster does not mean that there are no risks of concern. Be careful not to
trade one risk for an equal or higher risk. Check with your suppliers to confirm that they can
delay/hold/store materials for you at their unimpacted sites. If so, they can probably do so with
less risk than you having to make temporary arrangements with others not accustomed to
storing the materials. Regardless of the system chosen, determine the risks and make informed
risk-based decisions regarding offsite storage/staging of materials. Make arrangements well in
advance of any need (perhaps at the beginning of the hurricane season) with your suppliers,
your customers, and owner/operators of potential storage locations for use prior, during and
after a natural disaster. Plans made just before a natural disaster strikes are more likely to be
flawed and/or incomplete.
E. Security, Identification, and Access Permission
Your site must be secure from unwanted visitors and observers (including the media), but it
must be accessible to key employees and other specialists before and after the disaster. To
facilitate access for those needed at the site, contact the local, state, and federal authorities to
understand:
• who will be controlling access to the impacted areas,

• what roads will be used for emergency travel, and
• what credentials will be needed by your employees to travel those roads.

After you understand what is needed, have the proper credentials made and checked by the
governing agencies. Request a confirmation stamp, or sticker on the credentials to show that
access has been pre-approved. Employees remaining in the plant should know who will be
coming into the site after the disaster. They may be called by one of the emergency response
agencies seeking permission to let someone or team in.
Area access may be restricted well before the disaster hits. Develop a plan for emergency
access credentials for employees who will be coming in to staff the plant during the emergency.
Do not count on employees being able to get in just because the disaster had not yet occurred.
Local emergency officials may have already closed roads to all travelers without appropriate
credentials.
After the disaster, area access is almost always restricted for safety and security reasons. The
emergency access credentials that you get should be for personnel who can help resolve the
issues and lessen the risk. Visitors and bystanders are not needed. Determine if different
credentials are required for access before and after the event. Make sure that the right people
have the right credentials by having the governing agencies and authorities validate them.
Include the use of emergency access and needed credentials in each drill to train your
employees to bring them and to “condition” authorities to expect requests for entry using these
documents.
F. Drills and Cumulative Learnings
Design your drills for the types of natural disasters you can reasonably expect depending on
your facility’s location, natural disaster history, and emergency response agencies preparedness
plans. Make your drills as realistic and comprehensive as possible. Of particular importance to
validate/test during the drill are:
• Communications—do they work as planned?

• Participants knowledge—does each participant know what to do, when to do it, how to
do it, and can they actually do it?
• Safety and Security—do actions taken to ensure the safety and security of personnel,
the facility, the ecosystem, and the community, work as planned? If not, revise and
retest until they do.
• Access—can those needing access to the site get through the maze of local, state and
federal barriers?
If a natural disaster has occurred in the past and/or if one has occurred at another facility similar
to yours, use that as a model for your drill. If it is impossible or impractical to conduct a full
involvement drill, start to finish, consider conducting staged or topic drills. For instance,
conduct a staged drill starting on the “Preplan” activities and critique it. Then at a later date,
conduct a drill on the “Shortly Before” activities, then later on the “During” activities, and finally
on the “After” activities and critique each stage. Another approach is to drill on functions or
actions—such as “Communications” then later on “Security, Identification and Access” and so
on. Critique each function and make upgrades as needed.

Drills are good training and usually generate suggested improvements. To evaluate the
worthiness of the suggested change, use your MOC process to validate the expected and desired
impact of the change and to discover the potential unexpected/undesired consequences.
Update your emergency response plan as needed. Redistribute the updated plan and conduct
training if needed. Ensure that everyone has the opportunity to ask questions relative to their
roles and expected actions. Ensure everyone knows what to do, when to do it and how to do it.
III. Shortly Before
Now is the time to secure the facility and ensure it is as ready as possible for the type of disaster
and hazards expected. Check supplies and confirm that they are accessible and conduct last
minute tests of backup systems. There may be extra employees available to help with these
tasks. When the job is done, they will leave and only those employees designated to remain
onsite during the disaster will be left.
A. Securing the Facility
Securing the facility involves reducing the risks that the facility will impose on itself and others
during the natural disaster. One risk reduction item to address is housekeeping. Any and all
items that might become missiles in high winds must be removed, stored away, and/or tied
down. Look for any chemicals stored in drums or buckets and store them in a secure location to
prevent spillage. Remove unnecessary vehicles from roads, clean out truck beds of items that
may fly off, pick up loose insulation and uninstalled piping materials and tools, signs, etc. Look
for anything that will impose a hazard in high winds or rising water. Bottom line—clean house
like your mother-in-law will be visiting!
Another risk reduction opportunity is to configure the facility to withstand the disaster. Based
on your preplan, you have already decided what to do about inbound raw materials and
outbound products. Enact those plans now. Your preplan risk assessments also helped you
decide what to do about tank inventories and securing tanks that are emptied. Enact those
plans now.
Test and confirm adequacy of all modes of communication. Don’t wait until they are needed to
find out they don’t work as expected.
And, finally, evacuate all unnecessary personnel (no visitors and/or “just to observe” people)
and activate your Natural Disaster Safety and Security System as a line of protection against
unwanted intruders—human or animal.
B. Supplies and Shelter
Conduct an inventory of the onsite supplies matching actual quantities to listed required
quantities. If there are shortfalls, arrange for them to be addressed quickly. Pay particular
attention to batteries. Electrical power failure is relatively common so battery chargers may not
work. Ensure that there are plenty of charged walkie-talkie, cell phone and satellite phone
batteries. Make sure that supplies are accessible from the onsite Emergency Command post.
See Appendix B for suggested supply lists. Be sure that those that will staff the onsite command

post have at least a week’s worth (two week’s may be better) of their personal prescription
medications.
The onsite Emergency Command post should be inspected thoroughly and all equipment tested.
Pay particularly attention to the safety features and the communications systems. If emergency
generators, any other fuel consuming equipment, or wet cell batteries are inside the command
center, ensure that there is proper ventilation! Check oxygen sensors (in the command center
and/or the personal ones) to make sure that they are working. Test all equipment, including
communications, ventilation fans, alarms, etc.
C. Back-Up Systems
The person responsible for each back-up system should test it and make sure that the system
they are responsible for is ready to go. They should also confirm the “as hooked up”
configuration, extra fuel availability, and ventilation.
IV. During
During the height of the natural disaster, the primary role of those chosen to remain in the
facility is to:
• stay safe—above and beyond all else,

• monitor and record the disaster’s affect on the manufacturing facility, including
releases and exposures if possible,
• abate damages, spills, releases and unsafe and/or environmentally damaging
conditions if able to do so without endangering themselves, and
• periodically report conditions to the offsite communications center along with
requests for assistance, if needed, heads-up on repairs and repair personnel needed
after the disaster, and potential offsite damages due to debris and/or loss of
containment of chemicals.
A. Safety
Safety of the onsite personnel is vital. How to take care of themselves and others during this
stressful time must be part of their training program and emphasized strongly. There will be
tremendous pressure to shortcut safety procedures to respond to emergencies. These actions,
although superficially heroic, can be misplaced and lead to unnecessary risks and injuries.
(Coordinate with Preplan, Natural Disaster Plan, Safety Procedures, Section II. B.) Require all
onsite personnel to have first aid training. (Advanced first aid training would be even better.)
B. Security
During the disaster, the facility may incur damages that adversely affect its security or security
systems. Usually little, if anything, can be done during the disaster. Notification should be made
to the offsite Emergency Command Center, and plans for immediate repairs should be
scheduled as soon as circumstances allow it to be done safely. If complete repairs are not
possible in the short term, consider temporary repairs and/or alternate systems.

C. Communications
Communicating is often the primary role onsite staffers provide during the disaster. It is their
responsibility to observe, deduce, and understand just what damage is being done, the effect of
that damage on the facility’s well-being, security, safety, and the potential offsite impacts. Their
role is to communicate observations and deductions to the offsite Emergency Command Center
so that coordinated repair plans and notifications to other response agencies can be made.
Being able to make sufficient observations during the disaster may be challenging, but safety
should not be compromised in an effort to make them. (Reference Preplan, Natural Disaster
Plan, Section II. B.) Several communication tools should be available to the onsite staffers.
(Reference Preplan, Communications, Sections II. C.)
V. After
Immediately after the disaster there will be a strong desire to get outside to see the damages.
Resist that urge until you are sure that the danger has passed and it is safe to venture outside of
the command post. Consider the possibility of chemical releases. Use the appropriate personal
protective equipment (PPE) when venturing outside until monitoring proves it is safe.
Communicate your status to the offsite command post and let them know that you are going
outside. Consider sending a small team out first to validate your assumption that it is safe.
Then follow up with more people in small groups. Keep the small groups separate from each
other so that each can function as a rescue team for any other team that needs help. Until you
are absolutely sure that the hazards are recognized and the risk is tolerable, keep at least one
person in the command post. All teams should carry portable communication equipment and
stay in touch with the other teams and the command post.
All hazards may not be easily observable. Take special precautions, such as using dielectric
boots and rubber gloves when first venturing outside. Be careful of what you touch and where
you walk since electrical and/or electronic equipment may have shorted out. If the electrical
power is off, electrical hazards may not be apparent until the power is turned back on. Resurvey
for electrical hazards after the power has been restored. Chemical hazards may be hidden also.
Some caustic chemicals and some acids look like water. Some float on top of the water and
some are heavier than water so the water floats on them.
If there is physical damage to your facility, this presents (new) physical hazards. These are often
observable, but some can be hidden. Take special care when walking under equipment or
structures. They may be damaged or have debris on them that could fall off at any time. Be
aware of sharp and jagged edges, broken glass, tripping and slipping hazards, and
“visitors/critters.” Depending on where your facility is located, you may find cows, dogs, cats,
snakes, alligators, and a variety of wild life, wandering around your facility. Most will be
distressed, tired, frightened, hungry, and not in a good mood at all. This is not the time to pick a
pet. Get the help needed (sometimes experts are needed) to rescue “critters” safely.
A. Damage Assessment and Short Term/Emergency Repairs
As soon as it is safe, survey the facility to assess damages. Look first for things that are severe
safety and/or environmental risks requiring immediate attention. Then look for damages that

impact the operability of the facility. Categorize damages into two groups—those that can be
addressed with resources currently onsite and those that will require additional resources.
Communicate this to the offsite Emergency Command Center so that they can send people to
the site with appropriate expertise. Take pictures to document the damages as they are before
remediation—for insurance purposes and for improvement hints for designing a safer facility.
Do not make repairs and/or modifications without analyzing the consequences of your actions
and inactions. Use the management of change process specifically designed for these
circumstances. Consider monitoring the air and water and collect samples for environmental
reference. Reference Section II. B. Safety Procedures.
B. Security
As soon as the critical safety and environmental issues are identified and are being addressed,
turn your attention to site security. Site security involves problems that might be caused by
news people, scavengers, looters, curious citizens, terrorists, opportunists, people who are lost
or injured and animals of all sorts. On a more somber note, it might also include human bodies
and bodies of a variety of animals and reptiles, so be prepared.
As soon as services are available, activate as many of the security systems as possible—including
lighting, video monitoring, motion detectors, gate locks, access authorization cards, and guards
as soon as it is safe for them to be there. Train guards for the type of situations they may
encounter at this time. Since a fence around your facility is a basic form of security, have it
repaired as soon as possible.
Make and enact plans to remove the dead (human and animal) as soon as possible and
remember to be particularly cautious as corpses may be laden with pollutants, insects, disease,
and animals, snakes and rats. Any and all may carry disease and will be a threat to your safety.
1. News People:
News people have the right to document and report on the news. They do not have the right to
come onto private or company property without permission. They do not have the right to
endanger others and/or the safety and security of your facility or the chemicals onsite. They
may bring new risks to the location in the form of lack of knowledge of how to conduct
themselves in a chemical manufacturing environment, lack of knowledge of the hazards
imposed by the chemicals being handled, and risks imposed on the facility simply from the
equipment they may bring.
If possible, keep them out of your facility until it is completely safe and secure and you receive
authorization from senior management to grant them access. Try to intercept them before they
actually get on the property and explain that safety checks are not yet complete and, therefore,
no visitors are allowed in yet. Also tell them that access to the site can be granted only by
senior management located in the offsite command center, law enforcement, or certain state or
federal agencies, and then only for cause. If already on the property, escort them off. Be polite
but firm. Do not say the situation is unsafe unless you want to make the 5:00 o’clock news. Say
only that a safety evaluation is being made and is not yet complete. Everything you say or do
may be videotaped or recorded and played on the news, so act accordingly.

2. Looters, Scavengers, Terrorists, etc.
These people will probably leave as soon as they see you. If not, ask them to leave. Have the
person staffing your onsite command center notify law enforcement. If safe to do so, take their
picture for law enforcement follow-up, but do not try to apprehend them yourself.
C. Communications with Outside World
The primary focus of communications with the outside world at this time is to relay messages
regarding injury reports, condition of the facility, damages, needed supplies, unusual situations
or activities, risks involving release of chemicals, and resources needed. Ongoing risks onsite
with possible offsite consequences should be evaluated and described in detail so that
appropriate responses can be made. Needed resources may be anything from people with
specialized expertise or knowledge to specific types of equipment.
This is the time also for those in the facility to make contact with their families to assure them
that they are well and safe and to get caught up on how their families weathered the natural
disaster. The offsite command center should recognize this need and facilitate contacts. This
is not the time to call television or radio stations and make statements or give narrations of
what happened. Do not receive these calls either. If some get through to you, politely tell them
that you are busy and cannot talk with them now.
D. Recovery
The disaster has passed and now it is time to deal with the aftermath and get back to normal.
Not only will there be damaged equipment to repair, there will be contamination to deal with,
hidden or silent failures, new hazards associated with old equipment, and the usual startup risks
and problems. Your recovery and recommissioning plan must be as comprehensive as the initial
start-up of a new facility, perhaps even more rigorous. The risks will be very similar except with
one extra twist—things that may have worked properly before the disaster may not work after
it—but you might not know that until something goes drastically wrong. Don’t assume that past
performance will be repeated. Confirm it.
1. Repairs:
After the critical emergency repairs are made, begin to compile and categorize the other
damages that must be repaired before restart. Some damages will be obvious, but some will
not. Consider dividing the repairs into categories—such as obvious physical/mechanical
damage, potential hidden damages, contamination, support services impairments, electrical
outages, electronic/signal failures, and computer issues. Assign appropriate teams to ferret out
the extent of the damages and make repair decisions. Remember that some repairs may
require Code stamps (API, ASME, ASTM, U or R code stamp, etc.) and/or worker certification of
some type. Other repairs may have to conform to national codes (national electrical code, for
instance) or standards (ISA is one example) and others may require conformance to your
company standards. Be sure those making repairs are qualified to do so and don’t forget to do
the paperwork—which might include getting a certified inspector to approve the repair.

This may be the time to make some of the upgrades previously planned. If you do, (this decision
should not be made without serious consideration), be sure that they are properly reviewed
using your management of change procedure and process, including training where needed and
a risk assessment is made to validate that it is appropriate to do so at this time.
2. Recommissioning:
Recommissioning involves preparing equipment and personnel again for all of the tasks
associated with manufacturing a product. A special recommissioning plan should be developed
for recovery from natural disaster-related shutdowns where damages and contaminations are
expected. Just because it worked as you wanted it to before the disaster doesn’t mean that it
will work now, even if there are no apparent damages. Damages may be hidden, calibration
may be lost, or contamination might have occurred. Instrumentation is particularly vulnerable
to hidden damages, lost calibration, and contamination.
For instrumentation, step through the process one stage at a time and check configuration and
responses ensuring that each item is performing as designed. Check for responses to out-of-
acceptable or operational-range conditions to ensure that the process controls and safety
instrumented systems will bring the process back under control or to a safe configuration.
Carefully check (functional check preferred) each safety device or system:
• Basic process controls
• Preventative safety systems
o Active safety systems
o Passive safety systems
• Mitigative safety systems
o Active safety systems
o Passive safety systems
Do not forget that your distributative control system(s) (DCS) may be the hub of most of these
instrumented systems, so check functionality all the way through the DSC.
For processing equipment, check for damages and contamination and confirm that each is ready
to receive materials. Pay particular attention to storage tanks that may have been emptied or
filled with water during the disaster. Look for displacement and damage to foundations or to
tankage due to floating. Also look for piping damage due to tankage displacement and/or
impacts from flying debris. After you are sure of the integrity of the equipment, start
reinventorying it based on your startup plan. Support systems, such as lubrication, compressed
air, inerting, and fuel supply systems should be carefully checked for contamination and product
quality. Bearings and seals may have been compromised so check them for contamination
including grease/packing and local lubrication supply systems. If you are uncertain regarding
contamination, assume it to have occurred and flush/replace lubrication systems and supplies.
3. Training:
Remember to train (or refresher train) employees who will be recommissioning the facility.
Don’t assume that just because they were good operators before the disaster that they will
remember how to start up a facility recovering from a complete shutdown. Consider training
recommissioning personnel together so that they develop a team concept and are accustomed
to working with each other. If contractors are involved, make them part of the retraining and

recommissioning team. Customize the recommissioning training to the types of circumstances
associated with the type shut down the facility went through and the type of natural disaster it
experienced. The training should reemphasize the need for workplace safety, process safety,
and process material containment control. Emphasize that they must function as a team and be
a model of safety and environmental responsibility. Consider making a process safety expert(s)
part of the recommissioning training and team with the specific purpose of helping the team
identify and properly analyze risks.
Recommissioning may highlight several changes that may be needed to compensate for missing
and/or damaged equipment or makeshift repairs. Use the specially developed MOC process and
do not shortcut the system in an effort to get the facility ready for restart quickly. Changes
made in this stage can be particularly risky and, if not properly analyzed, can cause catastrophic
consequences. The same thought process should be applied to Prestart-up Safety Reviews.
These must be thorough and comprehensive. See Section F for a more complete description of
how to conduct PSSRs after a disaster.
4. Interdependencies:
Startup may be contingent on help from others, perhaps for electrical power or water supply.
Consider the interdependencies developed and discussed in Section II, B and use them to your
advantage. Recognize that this is a give-and-take proposition—you may be called on to give a
service associated with interdependencies with another company before you can receive a
service from them. Either way, play your part and do what you can to help everyone, including
yourself, recover from the disaster.
When developing recovery and recommissioning plans, consider what interdependent services
will be available and how they might be used to help you recover from the disaster and restart
your facility. Make it known just what services you need and explain how those services will
enable your facility to provide services to others. Follow through on your “promises” by
providing services to others as outlined in the interdependencies section of your disaster
preplan. (See Appendix D—Example List of Interdependencies)
5. Agencies Assistance and Interactions:
Make sure that the agencies understand the interdepencies and how proper utilization will
facilitate recovery and restart not only for manufacturing facilities but for the community as
well. In addition to interdepencies, don’t be shy in asking the agencies for help in recovery.
They may be able to provide expedited routes for repair materials, some security assistance,
technical expertise, and establish communication mechanisms.
E. Staffing
Staffing the facility for emergency repairs, long term repairs, and eventual restart has several
phases each with different needs. Staffing may be with company employees only, but will
probably include contractors as well. To keep staffing levels manageable and working
effectively, develop a time line or sequence chart of what needs to be done and in what order.
Match required expertise to the different tasks and then develop a staffing chart to match. As
projects are completed, adjust staffing accordingly.

1. Locating Employees:
Your preplans should have included a mechanism for employees to contact the company and a
way for the company to contact and/or in some way get messages to employees. See Section II.
C—Communications. Based on the staffing chart developed above in Section V, E—Staffing,
schedule identified employees to come back into the plant. This should be voluntary if at all
possible. Recognize that some employees may not be available because of significant damages
to their homes and/or family issues associated with the evacuation requiring their attention.
2. Lodging:
After needed employees and contractors are back onsite, they may need local housing and
services which they may not be able to secure on their own. If you expect them to continue
helping secure, repair, and start up the plant, you may have to provide housing and services for
them. Consider contracting with a local hotel or motel to provide them. If that is not possible or
if local services are damaged beyond use, consider installing temporary housing, laundry,
kitchen, etc. onsite. Also consider bringing in additional contractors to operate these temporary
facilities and services.
It may be that your employees’ homes were damaged and their families have no place to stay.
Consider making arrangements for them to be housed in surrounding areas not severely
impacted by the disaster. It is important that you take care of your employees and their families
during this time. The cost to do so will probably be insignificant when compared to the total
disaster cost. The favor will be returned.
F. Restart
Restarting your facility after a natural disaster could be a very hazardous event if not planned
properly. Before starting manufacturing operations a number of risks must be identified and
addressed. These risks range from making sure those responsible for the startup are properly
trained to ensuring that the equipment is ready to receive the chemicals and that all operational
and safety systems are functional.
1. Operational PSSRs:
After the disaster, inspect your facility even better than you would a new facility. Section the
facility into blocks of equipment or processing mini-sections and perform a PSSR 5 on each
section using the employees who will operate and service the area with help from specialists.
Don’t forget to function test equipment, especially instrumentation and safety systems. Look
for blockages (for instance in relief valve discharge pipes) and debris that might impair the
functionality of equipment (for instance a twig prohibiting a valve from stroking). Note areas
where insulation has been damaged and restrict access if personnel safety is involved.
5
Guidelines for Performing Effective Pre-Startup Safety Reviews, Center for Chemical Process Safety, New
York, 2007.

If heavy rains and/or flooding were involved, inspect all tanks for evidence of cracking,
foundation, or tie down damage. Also look for damage to piping connected to tanks that might
have floated or been displaced. Conduct an internal inspection, if possible, to check for water
contamination. Inspect all type lubrication systems. Grease may have washed out or oil
reservoirs may be contaminated. Test all electrical and electronic equipment and systems. If
needed, megger motors, conduct infrared scans to detect hot spots in equipment and panel
boards, system-check instrumentation loops, and function- test everything that you can.
If strong winds were involved, look for debris-impact damage such as missing insulation, broken
tubing and wiring, dented piping, and bent structural supports. Pay particular attention to
sensitive or fragile instrumentation systems.
2. Safety PSSRs:
After the operational PSSRs, re-review the area and pay particular attention to tripping, falling,
cutting, and “critter” hazards. Remember that snakes, spiders, dogs, cats, and even alligators
may have been looking for a safe haven during the storm. By now, they are sure to be
frightened, hungry, tired, uncomfortable, and dangerous. Cautiously open equipment, panels,
and drainage trenches.
3. Training:
We tend to spend many more training hours on how to operate the facility than we do on
shutting it down and starting it up—which are often the most dangerous periods. Startup after
a disaster, where contamination, damage, unusual location of processing materials, and a
taxed/tired support system might coexist with unhappy and frightened “critters”, could be
particularly hazardous.
To offset this hazard, retrain (or give refresher training to) all the employees who will be
responsible for startup. This includes operational, maintenance, safety, engineering and
supervision. Training should focus on recognizing anomalies in the startup sequence and how to
correct them. Consider training people together in teams of operations, maintenance,
engineers, and supervision so that they become familiar with each other’s actions and “styles.”
For support personnel (mechanics, electricians, and instrument specialists), consider retraining
them on recognizing early effects of contamination, electrical issues, and failed safety systems.
Supervisors and engineers should be reminded of and retrained in the part they are to play in
the startup, how they are to interact, and their specific responsibilities and authorities. Spend
some training time on protocols for communicating requests for help, status reports, and
concerns. Consider training a process safety person (or team) to function as an “unbiased”
advisor to give the startup team advice on potential responses to risks encountered.
Give everyone refresher training on the basic safety procedures that may be used during
startup. Pay particular attention to recognizing and responding to changes required. Retraining
on your MOC procedure, or training on the MOC procedure developed just for this startup,
would be very valuable. Remind startup personnel that the plant may be occupied by
unwanted visitors, such as snakes, spiders, and even alligators. Educate/ reeducate them on
safety procedures for opening panels, junction boxes and going into confined spaces as to how

they should respond if such intruders are encountered. Remind everyone to look before they
reach.
G. Critique
“Lessons Learned” come from having experiences and then documenting them in order to learn
from and share them. As soon as possible after the natural disaster, have everyone involved
compile their notes and experiences so that a critique of the events and responses can be made.
Each person should list all of the things that:
• went well (as planned or better than planned),

• did not go well (did not go as planned or was significantly deficient, short sighted, or
misdirected),
• were unanticipated/unplanned events, and
• had sections that should be improved.
If possible, ask neighboring facilities and the civic authorities who participated in managing the
disaster and/or response to do the same.
Have a meeting where this information is shared, learned from, and factored into an updated
overall disaster plan. Don’t make this a “blame somebody” type meeting, but rather a meeting
in which all learn what worked, what did not work, and how the approaches and actions can be
changed so that everything works better the next time. Everyone should work within the
alliances already established in preparing for the disaster and walk away from the meeting with
assignments on improving various issues within their realm of responsibilities. If
interdependencies were involved, try to get other company facilities, utilities, or services that
were interdependent with your facility involved also. Set up a follow-up meeting in about six
months to review status reports and needs for further assistance/ resources, etc. Have a full drill
about a year after the disaster (or just before the next natural disaster season) to confirm that
progress has been made. Try to include everyone and every function, agency/etc. that
participated in the real thing a year earlier. Test all systems, communications, responses, and
recovery actions. Make it as real as possible. Critique the drill and continue to learn and
improve.

VI. References
A. U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Safety Bulletin No. 2005-01-S,
September 2005, “After Katrina: Precautions Needed During Oil and Chemical Facility
Startup”
B. Center for Chemical Process Safety, Publication # N-8, “Corporate Crisis Management”
C. National Petrochemical & Refiners Association, NPRA White Paper: Hurricane Security
Operations,” May 31, 2006
D. FEMA Web site: http://www.fema.gov/
E. American Red Cross, Business & Industry Guide—Preparing Your Business for the
Unthinkable
F. U. S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, “Hurricane
eMatrix—Hazard Exposure and Risk Assessment Matrix for Hurricane Response &
Recovery Work” Web site:
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hurricane/index.html
G. “Lessons Learned from Natural Disasters” presentation at the OECD Workshop Natech
Risk Management, May 23-25, 2012, Dresden, Germany by Mr. Charles Cowley,
AIChE/Center for Chemical Process Safety, Staff Consultant
VII. Appendices
A. Example List of Major Decisions to be made
B. Example List of Suggested supplies
C. Example Checklist of Communication Equipment
D. Example List of Interdependencies
E. Example Risk Analysis for Potential Onsite Consequences of Concern
F. Example Risk Analysis for Potential Offsite Consequences of Concern
G. Natural Disasters that may occur without (much) Warning

APPENDIX A: EXAMPLE LIST OF MAJOR DECISIONS TO BE MADE*
* This is an example. You should develop your own checklist specific for your situation.
Topic Made By Made When Decision Required Actions

Operate Bill Smith, 1 week Shut it down Initiate total shutdown
manufacturing and Plant before process including
storage facility or shut Manager expected deferring inbound raw
them down disaster materials and
notification of personnel
How to handle in plant Sue Hastings, Immediately Deinventory/empty Initiate Purge and Clean
inventories Production after operate all tankage with deinventory plan
Manager or not toxic, flammable, or
decision oil based materials
Operate cogeneration Stan Charge 4 days before Shut it down Notify commercial utility
unit or shut it down disaster company; initiate
expected cogeneration total
shutdown procedure
Tankage—leave empty Sue Hastings, Immediately Leave empty Survey all empty tankage
or fill with water Production after operate and add tie-down
Manager or not security if needed
decision
Activate and staff Bill Smith, 3 days before Yes Initiate onsite disaster
onsite command post Plant disaster command post activation
during disaster or not Manager expected sequence and actions.
Notify those who will
staff the plant. Notify
and train needed
replacements. Order
needed supplies
Where will the offsite Top Dog, First warning Secure accommodations
command post be Area Director of impending and get a Tee time
disaster scheduled
Where will materials Lou Jistics First warning First terminal Formal alert notification
be staged offsite of impending outside of 300 to suppliers and
disaster miles from plant customers.
Will Interdepencies be Percy Swasor First warning You bet! Notify all agencies and
called upon of impending interdependent
disaster companies. Review
interdepencies with each
and protocol for
activation.
Complete the list of
major decisions that
will have to be made
for your facility

APPENDIX B: EXAMPLE LIST OF SUGGESTED SUPPLIES*
* This is an example listing of supplies that should/could be on hand for those remaining onsite.
It does not include quantities. Those who have experienced hurricanes say that you probably
should increase your original quantity estimate by 50%. You should develop your own checklist
and quantities specific for your situation and expected needs.
First Aid Supplies:
Item Quantity Item Quantity

Antacids First aid kit
Anti-diarrhea medication Blood pressure kit
Ipecac Scissors
Emetrol Tweezers
Cold tablets/liquids Knife
Laxatives Thermometer
Cough drops/syrup Magnifying glass
Nasal spray/inhalers Disposable safety razors
Aspirin products Nail clippers
Non-aspirin pain relievers Nail file
Eye wash/rinses Safety pins
Eye patches Needle
Gauze—strips, pads, rolls Small Mirror
Cotton pads and balls Small flashlight
Cotton Swabs Tongue depressors
Bandages—strip, butterfly Disinfectant soap
Band aids Germicidal hand wipes or
Butter fly bandages waterless alcohol-based hand
Burn ointment sanitizer
Vaseline petroleum jelly Antiseptic wipes
Insect repellant Medical grade non-latex
Insect bite ointment gloves
Snake bite kit Cold pack
Hydrogen peroxide CPR breathing barrier
Rubbing alcohol Adhesive tape
Iodine Salve for wounds
Calamine lotion Eye wash cup
Suntan lotion Murine/Visine/etc./
Baking soda Eye patches
Tooth ach medication Sanitary napkins
Lip balm Burn blanket
Penicillin ointment Add your own first aid items
Contact lens supplies
Listerine *Note: This is just a suggested list. Your list
Vicks Vapor Rub should consider the type injuries expected
First aid instruction book and/or possible.

APPENDIX B: EXAMPLE LIST OF SUGGESTED SUPPLIES*--Continued
Food Supplies:

Bottled water—estimate Salt
about 2 gallons/person/day Pepper
for drinking Cooking oil
Bottled sports drinks Flour
Canned juices—apple, orange, Ramen Noodles
etc. Canned soups
Soft drinks Canned vegetables
Coffee—instant and perked Pork and beans
Tea—instant and seeped Canned Chili
Milk Spaghetti sauce
Buttermilk Spaghetti/pasta
Powered milk Hot dogs
Cans of evaporated milk Hamburger meat
Peanut butter Ready-to-eat canned meals,
Jelly meats, fruits, and vegetables
High-energy foods (granola Packaged sliced meats
bars, energy bars) Mac & Cheese Packets
Power Bars Fresh fruit—Apples, oranges,
Cookies grapes, bananas, pears, etc.
Honey Dried fruit—raisins, plums,
Cereal prunes, etc.
Saltine crackers Canned fruit and sauces—
Wheat Thins applesauce, etc.
Cheeses Microwave popcorn
Chips—potato, corn, etc. Your favorite Cajun seasonings
Packages of party snacks Your favorite hot sauce
Ice Multivitamins
Marshmallows Paper plates and plastic
Nuts—peanuts, pecans, utensils
almonds, etc. Aluminum foil
Hard candy Zip lock type bags in varying
Pancake mix sizes
Pancake syrup Can opener—non-electric
Eggs
Bread *Note: This is just a suggested list of food
Tortillas for those who will remain onsite during the
Rice disaster. You should develop your own list
Mashed potato mix considering the culture of the area and the
Seasonings people (possibly with food restrictions) who
Sugar will be there.

Clothing and Personal Effects:

Mens shirts—long sleeve, Blankets
cotton in various sizes Sheets
Mens Bluejeans/slacks in Sleeping arrangements—cots,
various sizes beds, etc.
Mens briefs—cotton in various Female personal items
sizes and styles Combs
Womens blouses—long Toothbrushes
sleeve, cotton in various sizes Toothpaste
Womens bluejeans/slacks in Mouthwash
various sizes Deodorant
Womens briefs—cotton in Disposable razors
various sizes Shaving soap
Bras—sports bras—cotton in Tissues/Kleenex, etc.
various sizes Shampoo
“T” shirts in various sizes Soap
Socks—tube cotton in various Towels
sizes Washcloths
Raincoats in various sizes Lotion
Trench coats in various sizes Sanitizing soap
Gloves—cotton in various sizes Generic reading classes of
Gloves—rubber/dielectric in varying strengths
various sizes Flashlights
Boots—Rubber, dielectric in Plastic bags
various sizes Pre-moistened towelettes
Sleeping Bags Waterless hand cleaner
Pillows Toilet paper--lots
*Note: This is just a suggested list of

clothing for those who will remain onsite
during the disaster. You should develop
your own list considering the culture of the
area, the time of the year, weather
expected, and the people who will be there.

Tools & Supplies:

Batteries—Various sizes Electrical contact cleaner spray
including AAA, AA, C, D, 9 volt, 6 Tree saw
volt, etc. Insect killer—bees, wasps, etc.
Portable walkie-talkie radio Charcoal
batteries Charcoal lighter fluid
Battery-operated black& white Lighter
TV Water (for flushing toilet,
Battery-operated AM-FM radio washing hands, etc)
(with Weather Alert) Paper plates, cups, etc.
Battery chargers for a variety of Thermos for keeping beverages
batteries hot
Cellular phones with extra Plastic garbage bags
batteries and battery chargers Zip-lock type bags of varying
Fire extinguishers of different sizes
types and sizes Large leaf bags
Brooms Garbage can liner 30 gallon type
Mops bags
Squeegee Burlap Bags
Rags for clean up Toilet paper
Candles Paper towels
Flashlights Hammers and nails
6 volt lanterns Heavy duty Staplers
Propane lanterns Battery operated fans
Matches Coleman type coolers of varying
Lighters sizes (keep ice in coolers until
Sterno needed)
Rope of varying sizes and Ice (keep ice in Coleman type
lengths—some manila and some coolers until needed)
nylon Small propane tanks--full
Tarpaulin Fire Resistant Gasoline tanks in vehicles
Duct tape topped off
Masking tape Mops & buckets
Adhesive tape Mechanics box of tools
Oil absorbents Cash—coins and currency
Oil boom with absorbents
Sheet plastic both black and *Note: This is just a suggested list of tools and
clear of varying thicknesses supplies for those who will remain onsite
Plywood ¼” and ½” for boarding during the disaster. You should develop your
up broken windows own list considering the type facility you have,
Tire and tube repair materials the equipment involved, your emergency
and plugs/patches command center and the people who will staff
Spare vehicle tires and jacks it.

APPENDIX C: EXAMPLE CHECKLIST OF COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT*
* This is an example. You should develop your own checklist specific for your situation and the equipment you will use.
Communication Equipment Purpose/Service Assigned to: Located: Tested by: Ready?

GETS—Government Gives priority if land line ER team members Wallet cards ER team members Yes
Emergency telephone services are
Telecommunications Service overloaded or congested
NOAA Band Radio Weather reports ER Communications Onsite emergency ER Communications Yes
coordinator control center on coordinator
desk
Cell Phones Multiple communication points ER team members + Individual in Individual in
and sources management team possession possession
Satellite Phones More secure and less Onsite emergency Onsite emergency Onsite emergency
susceptible to outages team commander, control center— team commander
second in command main desk
and offsite
management team
Internet Non voice communications; ER Communications Onsite emergency ER Communications
separate telecommunication coordinator control center, coordinator
route second office
Citizen Band Radios Separate communications route
Walkie-talkies Short range communications for
onsite employees
Two Cans and Ball of String Last chance—albeit a slim one
Complete the list with any
other communications
equipment you have

APPENDIX D: EXAMPLE LIST OF INTERDEPENDECIES
* This is an example. You should develop your own checklist specific to interdependencies for your situation.
Interdependency With Whom Contact/Tel # Notes

Electricity Cajun Electrical Power Supply Buba Poche/555-555-5555 We need electrical power from
CEPS to get our cogeneration unit
running. After startup, we can
supply electrical power back in to
public grid.
Steam and Fuel ABC Gas Processors Terry (Mr. T) Boudreaux/555-123- If our steam boilers and our
456 cogeneration plant are running,
we can supply steam to ABC who
in turn will be able to supplement
our fuel supply by sending us the
off gas from their steam heaters.
Communications and Electrical Tell-Tell Communications Co. Mary LeBlanc/555-345-6789 We supply TTC electrical power
power and they operate our
communications systems and
tower for us.
Fire fighting emergency response Bayou Area Fire Emergency Dwaine (Dupe) Dupree BAFERT supplies mobile
Response Team firefighting equipment and
personnel. We supply the fire
truck and personnel.
Add your own list of
interdependencies and contacts

APPENDIX E: EXAMPLE RISK ANALYSIS FOR POTENTIAL ONSITE CONSEQUENCES OF CONCERN*
Example Risk analysis of consequence sequences that may be of concern onsite include:
* This is an example. You should develop your own consequences of concern, risk and abating actions specific for your situation.
Hazard Initial onsite Consequence Secondary onsite Consequence Risk Rating Abating Action
Heavy rain shorting out control • Loss of process Medium Waterproof, cover, and protect all junction
instruments, safety containment for hazardous boxes, switchgear, electrical cabinets, and
instrumentation or systems, chemicals enclosures.
and/or communication • Loss of communication
equipment capabilities
Heavy rain causing a high weight load • Structural failure, roof High Clear all roof gutters and downspouts,
on structures and buildings collapse, possible injuries check all drainage routes, and do not allow
roofs people in building or upper floors.
Flooding causing tanks to break loose
from their tie-downs and
float off
Flooding causing surge pits/waste
water ponds/etc. to
overflow releasing their
contents to the surrounding
area
Lightning strike destroys your process
computer and/or SIS
systems
Lightning strike damages your
communication equipment
Lightning strike Ignites flammable storage Damage / collapse of nearby High Empty and rinse tanks
tanks tanks
High Winds damages structures; wind
blown shrapnel

Develop your own
unimaginable list of
consequences that
potentially will occur

APPENDIX F: EXAMPLE RISK ANALYSIS FOR POTENTIAL OFFSITE CONSEQUENCES OF CONCERN*
Example Risk analysis of consequence sequences that may be of concern offsite include:
* This is an example. You should develop your own consequences of concern, risk and abating actions specific for your situation.
Loss of process • Air borne toxics • Respiratory injury to Medium Reduce all toxic chemical inventory to
chemical • Water borne people minimal levels and secure remaining
containment toxics/pollutants • Animal injury or death supplies in strongest tanks
Storage or process • Impact damage to • Displaced inhabitants Low • Reduce all toxic chemical inventory to
tanks break loose structures, homes and • Pollution and toxic minimal levels and secure remaining
from their restraints utility services contamination/injuries supplies in strongest tanks
and float off • Carries possible • Secure tankage from floating
contaminants
Storage or process • Contamination
tanks overflow due • Pollution/toxic effects
to rain water • Possible increase in fire
intrusion hazard
Explosion causing • Impact damage to
shrapnel to be structures, homes and
thrown utility services
• People and livestock
injuries/deaths
Debris blown from Same as explosion Same as explosion High Housekeeping + tying everything down
plant and/or storing all loose items in buildings
Develop your own
unimaginable list of
consequences that
potentially will occur

Recovery From Natural Disasters

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Recovery From Natural Disasters

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CCPS Pamphlet Series

Recovery from Natural Disasters

This pamphlet analyzes and presents, in a “how to use”

Recovery from Natural Disasters 1

Copyright 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Recovery from Natural Disasters 2

I. Preamble and Introduction

III. Shortly Before

Recovery from Natural Disasters 3

Recovery from Natural Disasters 4

Recovery from Natural Disasters 5

Estimating consequences is more difficult—essentially because it involves imagining the

B. Natural Disaster Plan

Recovery from Natural Disasters 6

Your Natural Disaster plan should include at least the following:

• Emergency Command and Communication Centers—these centers (either real or

Recovery from Natural Disasters 7

Electrical power is an interdependency example. Your manufacturing facility may have a

Recovery from Natural Disasters 8

4. Emergency Onsite Power Supplies:

Recovery from Natural Disasters 9

Recovery from Natural Disasters 10

Recovery from Natural Disasters 11

Recovery from Natural Disasters 12

o Establish a 1-800 telephone number/”hot-line” that they can call to:

Recovery from Natural Disasters 13

As part of the preplan, all communications modes should be tested periodically to

o For Families: Send disaster preparedness pamphlets to each employee’s home

Recovery from Natural Disasters 14

II. Manufacturing Materials:

E. Security, Identification, and Access Permission

• who will be controlling access to the impacted areas,

Recovery from Natural Disasters 15

F. Drills and Cumulative Learnings

• Communications—do they work as planned?

Recovery from Natural Disasters 16

III. Shortly Before

A. Securing the Facility

B. Supplies and Shelter

Recovery from Natural Disasters 17

• stay safe—above and beyond all else,

Recovery from Natural Disasters 18

A. Damage Assessment and Short Term/Emergency Repairs

Recovery from Natural Disasters 19

Recovery from Natural Disasters 20

C. Communications with Outside World

Recovery from Natural Disasters 21

Recovery from Natural Disasters 22

5. Agencies Assistance and Interactions:

Recovery from Natural Disasters 23

Recovery from Natural Disasters 24

Recovery from Natural Disasters 25

• went well (as planned or better than planned),

Recovery from Natural Disasters 26

Recovery from Natural Disasters 27

Topic Made By Made When Decision Required Actions

Recovery from Natural Disasters 28

First Aid Supplies:

Item Quantity Item Quantity