Originally published by the Australian Institute of Health & Safety

Many organisations are unprepared for natural hazards, according to an area expert who said WHS professionals play a key role in resilience and recovery in the face of unexpected events.

“Unfortunately, many organisations are not well prepared for the occurrence of natural hazards,” said Andrew Gissing, CEO of Natural Hazards Research Australia.

“Natural hazards can threaten staff, customers and business assets and organisations can struggle to recover following their occurrence, resulting in some permanently closing.”

The Lismore CBD, for example, was hit hard by flooding in 2022, and Gissing said that business occupancy was down 30 per cent twelve months after the floods. 

“Business closures can have cascading impacts throughout economies and result in job losses, with such disruptions impacting the wellbeing and mental health of staff,” said Gissing, who noted that staff may often have to deal with the consequences of a natural hazard to their household.

Gissing, who spoke ahead of the AIHS National Health and Safety Conference 2024, which will be held at the Melbourne Convention Centre from 21-23 May, said there are common gaps and challenges for organisations regarding such risks.

“Often organisations can fail to appreciate risks of natural hazards. Perhaps they haven’t occurred in the recent past and complacency has snuck in,” he said.

Even when businesses are prepared, Gissing said such preparations can be overwhelmed by severe natural hazards. 

“Events cannot only disrupt the bottom line; they can threaten the safety of staff. Some examples are staff driving along flooded roads or working outside during extreme heat,” he said. 

“Planning ahead and keeping in touch with emergency warnings can help keep staff safe.”

There are a number of important emerging and future trends in risk management, particularly for organisations that operate in industries that have exposure to natural hazards.

“Climate change, combined with expanding development into areas of higher risk, means that Australian communities now face worsening natural hazard risks,” said Gissing.

“With worsening risk and rising insurance prices, there is a greater appreciation of the need to mitigate natural hazard risks. Organisations today are spending more time seeking information about their natural hazards risk.”

The greater availability of warnings is also key to ensuring organisations can act proactively to safeguard their staff, according to Gissing, who observed that some organisations are considering relocating to lower-risk areas.

There are important implications for WHS professionals, and Gissing said that natural hazards pose a risk to the safety and wellbeing of staff, so it is vital that organisations know their natural hazard risks and plan accordingly.

“For example, if your organisation has a flood risk, know where to get warnings from, how you will communicate these with staff, consider when staff might need to evacuate and via what routes, including backup routes, and how to clean up safely following a flood,” he said.

“Many deaths during natural hazards are preventable, so doing things such as encouraging employees not to travel through floodwater can help keep them safe.”

Natural Hazards Research Australia research, for example, shows that 80 per cent of flood-related vehicle fatalities are single-vehicle incidents and that 40 per cent of these fatalities occur within 20km of home. 

“Also involve your staff so they know what to do during an emergency situation, and they can add useful knowledge and suggestions.”

Gissing will speak about ‘resilience and recovery in emergency management’ at the AIHS National Health and Safety Conference 2024, held at the Melbourne Convention Centre from 21-23 May. The conference will offer three days of workshops, presentations, keynote speeches, networking events and a conference dinner. Delegates will have the opportunity to learn from their peers, share knowledge and grow their professional networks. For more information, email events@aihs.org.au, call (03) 8336 1995 or visit the event website.