Business Continuity Plan Testing and Verification

Hi,

 

Can any one please explain how to test and verify the business continuity plan? Is there any template to test? How to choose a mock crisis incident? Can I please get an example of the testing and verification?

 

Thank you,

Archana

Hi,

 

Can any one please explain how to test and verify the business continuity plan? Is there any template to test? How to choose a mock crisis incident? Can I please get an example of the testing and verification?

 

Thank you,

Archana

 

Hi Archana,

 

This would depend on your plan but you should create a crisis scenario and check that the plan is capable of being carried out. This will mean checking you are capable of following the procedures, your contacts and emergency contractors/emergency services are up to date and things like alternative suppliers are capable.

 

A record of the scenario and your findings is your verification.

 

Regards,

 

Tony

Hi Tony,

 

Thank you for the insight.

 

I am little confused if it will be ok if we just do a report for a mock crisis incident that we chose - like just a scenario and what actions we took as per the outlined procedure or do we need to also do a mock recall incase if we a re recalling a product as part of mock crisis. Does this verification need to be really intense like a report we do for mock recall or a simple one?

 

Thank you,

Archana

Hi Archana,

 

This is how I do. I create a mock crisis and follow the procedures as mentioned in my Business Continuity. For example, In my procedure I said, for power failure I will arrange for back up from so and so company. I call them and ask them if I have a situation where I need back up, then how much time they need to provide the back up. They might ask you more information from you about your requirement etc etc...

 

At the end I make a formal review of the situation. If there are any loopholes or challenges in my said procedure, I would highlight the same and provide the solution to those too. At the end if required, I would update my procedure accordingly.

 

I hope this help. Please feel free if you require any additional information

Hi Tony,

 

Thank you for the insight.

 

I am little confused if it will be ok if we just do a report for a mock crisis incident that we chose - like just a scenario and what actions we took as per the outlined procedure or do we need to also do a mock recall incase if we a re recalling a product as part of mock crisis. Does this verification need to be really intense like a report we do for mock recall or a simple one?

 

Thank you,

Archana

 

Hi Archana,

 

The report should confirm that your plan will ensure that the business can continue and any corrective actions/improvements/updates.

 

A product recall can be done if that is part of the scenario such as suspected contamination. Whereas in power outage/flooding the scenario may be method of disposal of affected stock.

 

Regards,

 

Tony

I actually used a real-life situation to test ours this year - I'm the FSQA Director and SQF Practitioner, and I left the company for a period of time to take another job (then came back, obviously). 

I actually used a real-life situation to test ours this year - I'm the FSQA Director and SQF Practitioner, and I left the company for a period of time to take another job (then came back, obviously). 

 

 

ROFL.....thank you,  I needed  a laugh this morning.  Is amazing how to often we in Quality are underappreciated until we are not there. 

Good one Marshenko

 

I would completely agree with you Snookie...its every where.

Sometimes I feel pretty silly writing up an imaginary crisis; "The eggs done gone bad, hurr hurr."

We had an actual computer fault, though, and that gave us a good starting point. What will we do if we are unable to process any product? We'll buy product, we'll hold unprocessed product, we'll buy a new computer, call a mechanic, whatever. In my experience, nobody cares what you say you'll do, so long as under the plan,

A: situation leads to

D: resolution.

 

If there is no breakdown in supply, then no-one needs be the wiser.

 

Unlike the Mock Recall, this one is fine in its abstractness(by and large: we did call up a company to confirm we could use their reefer trucks if we had to).

 

Pick a thing at your facility, point and say, "That breaks. What now?"

 

Pick a person along your process line, say they (willfully or not) contaminated the product. What then?

 

You really just have to show you can react well to crises.

I totally agree with your suggestion tadelong. Thank you for the advise. It helps a lot to think for a mock crisis.

My auditor didn't seem to like it that much - I got a minor for it as it didn't actually result in an interruption in business.

 

I thought the whole idea of Business Continuity was to avoid an interruption in business... not actually let it happen and then figure out how to get back to work?

They actually wanted you to shut down??

Or was it that your scenerio would probaly not cause a shutdown? That was the difference for our first Business Continuity minor. Our auditor didn't think our scenerio would cause a disruption.

YMMV
Setanta

It was that our scenario would not cause a shutdown - we would only lose half of our customers and have our SQF certificate suspended, but we could still technically produce.

 

In my first test we would still be able to technically produce as well, even though building power was out for multiple days.

I believe they are looking for a physical threat to the business. Earthquake, flood, fire, etc. Last year, we used winter roof collapse during a blizzard that cut out power to the whole building.