08/21/2024

Be Prepared With a Disaster Preparedness Plan

Source: Federated Insurance, August 20, 2024

Don’t let disaster preparedness be an afterthought following an unpredictable event. It’s an essential practice that business owners can use to help effectively manage risks and minimize losses. 

By creating and implementing a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan that includes risk assessments, preventive measures, and effective claims management protocols, businesses can better secure their operations to help reduce property or financial losses.

The Benefits of Planning Ahead 

Having a well-thought-out disaster preparedness plan can be crucial in identifying potential hazards and vulnerabilities before they turn into costly emergencies. Business owners may want to consider the following actions to help them further prepare in advance by:

• Creating a robust disaster preparedness plan that incorporates risk management to help effectively manage potential insurance claims.
• Conducting a thorough risk assessment of their workplace.
• Keeping proper documentation of assets, inventory, and vital records in a safe place, and backing up critical data to help streamline any claims processes and minimize downtime.
• Practicing pre-determined evacuation routes, drills, and scenarios, and adhering to safety protocols to help employees understand how to stay safe.
• Ensuring the right safety equipment, such as first aid kits, fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and smoke alarms, are in good working order.

Risk Management for the Future

By implementing a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan, you can help safeguard your business and assets, educate your employees, and be ready for potential business interruptions in the face of unforeseen events.

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The Association's Disaster Mutual Assistance Plan (DMAP) Program is Like Insurance – It's There in Case You Need It.

Fortunately, printers do not often experience a disaster which interrupts their business operations but occasionally it happens. Storm damage, floods, fire, equipment breakdown, labor disputes, cyber-attacks, or other regional or national disasters can bring production operations to a screeching halt and prevent or delay a company from fulfilling its customers’ needs. Companies can buy insurance to cover the cost of the damage and recover the cost of additional business expenses, but still must serve their customers. If we don’t meet the customers’ needs quickly, everything else becomes unimportant.

Printing businesses may also find that having a contingency plan in place is required by some customers before they can enter into a contract or place an order with the company. DMAP certificates have been used to fulfill this requirement, at no cost to Association members.

Participants in the DMAP program are asked to complete an Equipment Inventory and sign a Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement. Participants agree that in the event the Association calls them on behalf of another member needing assistance, the participant will respond favorably by offering to perform the services needed in a confidential manner subject to the following guidelines:

• Any relationship with the customer will be disclosed at the beginning of discussion between the firm outsourcing the work and the firm performing the work. This disclosure includes having the customer on a prospective call list.
• All discussions and outsourcing of the work will be strictly confidential and be conducted under the highest ethical standards.
• The printer or graphic arts firm performing the work agrees not to contact the customer or solicit work from the customer for a period of one year.
• The work will be performed at reasonable trade prices, which are mutually agreed upon between the firm outsourcing the work and the firm performing the work.

We also have a Disaster Planning Mutual Assistance Guide to assist with planning your company’s course of action should you experience a business interruption. Planning and preparation will help smooth your journey through any potential adversity.

To learn more about the DMAP program, contact your BDD or the GMA office at 614.794.2300.