Hazard Vulnerability Assessments - How Does Yours Measure Up?

We recently reviewed the HVA for a major urban hospital complex.  Their HVA rated "tornado" as the lowest threat to the hospital, even though they are located in the infamous "tornado alley" and in their have been 39 tornadoes in the area, including an F4/F5 tornado which passes 2.5 miles from the facility.  The probable reason for this rating is that staff used their personal experience to rate the hazards rather that researching available data to identify actual hazards.  Events that are missed or improperly evaluated can result in the development of plans that fail to address the potential serious impacts such events can have on your operations.

Here are some indicators that your HVA may be critically lacking in value:

• Is there a HVA report that details each of the analyzed hazards and provides objective reasons for the final rating?
• Did staff perform a thorough search for records of local events?
• When you look at the final HVA does it just "not seem right"?
• Has enough weight been given to the personnel and business impact of an event?
• Were remote events (e.g., a major earthquake) considered for their potential impact on your facility?
• Did you analyze the potential for loss of a sole supplier?
• Were external events such as a truck drivers' strike included in the analysis?

These are some of the key area we focus on when helping to develop a comprehensive analysis of hazards and potential impacts.  Most facilities spend little resources on this analysis, mainly because they do not have sufficient staff time to devote.  We can provide this in depth analysis without burdening you staff.  Contact us for a free mini-review of your current HVA.

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Last modified: 05/02/10