Staff instructions during a disaster

Staff instructions are the part of a disaster recovery policy that tells everyone what to do, and what not to do, as soon as a serious incident happens. Clear instructions stop people acting on guesswork and reduce the risk of making the situation worse.

Immediate instructions

The policy should give simple, specific steps, so nobody has to decide for themselves what to do. Staff should not switch off or restart equipment, because data may still be in memory, an automatic backup may be running, or the recovery team may need to see the equipment exactly as it is. Staff should contact the named job role, such as the network manager, so there is no doubt about who to get hold of.

Staff should then report to the stated meeting point and sign in, so the recovery team knows who is on site and who is safe. Other dos and don'ts should be listed too, for example 'do keep clear of the affected area' and 'do not attempt repairs yourself'.

Why everyone needs to know

All staff need to know the procedures, even cleaners, receptionists and teachers with no recovery tasks of their own. They may need to get out safely, stay out of the way of recovery work, or follow instructions from the recovery team. For example, if a power failure shuts down the main building, a receptionist still needs to know where to report and who to contact, even though they will not restore any systems.

Training and reminders

Training and regular reminders, such as an induction session and a yearly briefing, help make sure everyone remembers what to do under pressure. People forget detail when they are panicking, so a short checklist kept with the emergency contacts supports this.