9 th ACG Cross-Training Seminar Precautionary Measures during Outbreak of SARS (2003) Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited 5 th July 2007 – Kuala

99thth ACG Cross-Training Seminar ACG Cross-Training Seminar

Precautionary Measures during Outbreak of SARS Precautionary Measures during Outbreak of SARS (2003)(2003)

Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company LimitedHong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited55thth July 2007 – July 2007 – Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur

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Agenda

1. Planning and Preparation2. Mitigating Measures

- Financial Service Sector- Clearing House

3. Crisis Management4. Reported SARS Case5. Reassemble of Normal Operations

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1. Planning and Preparation (1)1. Planning and Preparation (1)

Identify possible scenarios which could impact the clearing house operations

Risk Analysis-assess threats and risks

Activation of Activation of contingency plancontingency plan

Stage 1 Stage 2

Planning and Preparation Stage Crisis Management Stage

[only in crisis situation which impact clearing

house operations]

Mitigating Mitigating measuresmeasures

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Possiblescenarios

Accessibility of Workplace

Office areas / data centres being contaminated

External Problems

Staff of participants being infected Office areas of participants being

contaminated

Staffing Issues

Critical / majority of staff being infected

Identified the possible risk scenarios as illustrated below:-Identified the possible risk scenarios as illustrated below:-

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Accessibility of Workplace

Unable to access the office areas / data centres to maintain normal operations

Externally

Participants cannot continue their operations Participants unable to meet their obligations

Staffing Issues

Insufficient staff to support the clearing and settlement operations

Risk Analysis

Which might lead to …..Which might lead to …..

Disruption to the Clearing and Settlement services, due toDisruption to the Clearing and Settlement services, due to

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2. Mitigating Measures

Mitigating measures

AimAim

To ensure the security market continue to To ensure the security market continue to operate as normal as possible by minimizing operate as normal as possible by minimizing the potential impact.the potential impact.

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2. Mitigating Measures - Financial Service Sector (1)

Mitigating measures

Contingency Planning of RContingency Planning of Regulatorsegulators

To maintain critical operations

Split team arrangementSplit team arrangement

Rotate staff to work from home as a 3rd level Rotate staff to work from home as a 3rd level backupbackup

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Mitigating measures

Contingency Planning of ReContingency Planning of Regulators (Cont’d)gulators (Cont’d)

To ensure staff’s health awarenessTo ensure staff’s health awareness

Issue comprehensive guidelines to staffIssue comprehensive guidelines to staff

Advise staff of the appropriate measures to be taken Advise staff of the appropriate measures to be taken with reference to the health advice provided by the with reference to the health advice provided by the Department of HealthDepartment of Health

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Mitigating measures

Market Awareness

To ensure market practitioners could continue their To ensure market practitioners could continue their operationsoperations

Request for comprehensive business continuity plansRequest for comprehensive business continuity plans

Issue circulars to draw their attention to the health advice Issue circulars to draw their attention to the health advice from Department of Healthfrom Department of Health

Discuss with selective practitioners to ensure they have Discuss with selective practitioners to ensure they have alternative measures, if neededalternative measures, if needed

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2. Mitigating Measures - Clearing House (1)

Mitigating measures

ExternallyExternally

To ensure clearing participants exercised all necessaryTo ensure clearing participants exercised all necessarypreventive measurespreventive measures

Issue circulars to remind them to take precautionary Issue circulars to remind them to take precautionary measuresmeasures

Request them to inform the clearing house, in case any of Request them to inform the clearing house, in case any of their staff confirmed having contracted SARStheir staff confirmed having contracted SARS

Encourage them to request their staff to put on masks when Encourage them to request their staff to put on masks when they access the premises of the clearing housesthey access the premises of the clearing houses

Inform them of the clearing houses’ precautionary measureInform them of the clearing houses’ precautionary measure

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Mitigating measures

Staff IssuesStaff Issues

To ensure staff awarenessTo ensure staff awareness

Establish SARS reporting guidelines, in case of any Establish SARS reporting guidelines, in case of any staff or their family members show symptoms of staff or their family members show symptoms of suspected SARSsuspected SARS

Provide up-to-date SARS information to staff such as Provide up-to-date SARS information to staff such as latest medical treatment, precaution advice from latest medical treatment, precaution advice from Department of HealthDepartment of Health

Arrange with community medical service alliance for Arrange with community medical service alliance for fast diagnosis of suspected SARS symptomsfast diagnosis of suspected SARS symptoms

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Mitigating measures

Staff Issues (cont’d)Staff Issues (cont’d)

To ensure staff wellnessTo ensure staff wellnessProvide sufficient masks and gloves for all staffProvide sufficient masks and gloves for all staff

Arranged extra periodic cleanings in all offices areasArranged extra periodic cleanings in all offices areas

Minimize physical contacts of staff from different sitesMinimize physical contacts of staff from different sites

Avoid face-to-face communications, conference call Avoid face-to-face communications, conference call should be arranged, if neededshould be arranged, if needed

Reduce the level of overseas traveling, especially for Reduce the level of overseas traveling, especially for SARS-infected countries SARS-infected countries

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Mitigating measures

Accessibility of WorkplaceAccessibility of Workplace

To ensure all clearing systems operated as normalTo ensure all clearing systems operated as normal

Reference to the existing Business Continuity Plan, hot Reference to the existing Business Continuity Plan, hot back-up sites and stand-by facilities located at different back-up sites and stand-by facilities located at different districts for the clearing systemsdistricts for the clearing systems

Implement a 3-shift arrangement for IT staff, for round-Implement a 3-shift arrangement for IT staff, for round-the clock system operationsthe clock system operations

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Mitigating measures

Accessibility of Workplace (Cont’d)Accessibility of Workplace (Cont’d)

To maintain the clearing house operations and servicesTo maintain the clearing house operations and services

Split the mission critical functions into multiple locations Split the mission critical functions into multiple locations to prevent “single-point” failure, i.e. Teams A and B, to prevent “single-point” failure, i.e. Teams A and B, with Team B working at Secondary Siteswith Team B working at Secondary Sites

Rotate staff to work at homeRotate staff to work at home

Engage a cleaning company for the necessary cleansing Engage a cleaning company for the necessary cleansing and disinfection operations in case of SARS problemand disinfection operations in case of SARS problem

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Mitigating measures

Challenges : to achieve “Split Teams” within a short period of timeChallenges : to achieve “Split Teams” within a short period of time

Identify suitable office location for the split teamsIdentify suitable office location for the split teams

Assemble sufficient equipmentAssemble sufficient equipment

Identify the tasks to be split between Teams A and BIdentify the tasks to be split between Teams A and B

Re-arrange the operation flow with Teams A and BRe-arrange the operation flow with Teams A and B

Re-establish the communication channels internally and externallyRe-establish the communication channels internally and externally

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3. Crisis Management (1)

Activation of contingency plan

In case a confirmed SARS case in Team A at Primary SiteIn case a confirmed SARS case in Team A at Primary Site

Evacuate all staff from the office as soon as possibleEvacuate all staff from the office as soon as possible

Arrange medical checks for staffArrange medical checks for staff

Arrange close contact to infected staff to attend a SARS Arrange close contact to infected staff to attend a SARS screening at the designated clinicsscreening at the designated clinics

Staff might need to stay at home for 7 to 10 daysStaff might need to stay at home for 7 to 10 days

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In case a confirmed SARS case in Team A at Primary SiteIn case a confirmed SARS case in Team A at Primary Site(cont’d)(cont’d)

Arrange office cleansing and disinfecting of the contaminated Arrange office cleansing and disinfecting of the contaminated site after evaluation, which will be closed for 48 hourssite after evaluation, which will be closed for 48 hours

Inform building management of the affected officeInform building management of the affected office

Move Team B from Secondary Site to the Back-up site to Move Team B from Secondary Site to the Back-up site to continue operationcontinue operation

Notify Participants of alternative arrangement with activation of Notify Participants of alternative arrangement with activation of Back-up siteBack-up site

Move Team B back to the Primary Site when its reopenedMove Team B back to the Primary Site when its reopened

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Communication during ContingencyCommunication during Contingency

Staff who suspect infection of SARS reports to

supervisor

Staff who suspect infection of SARS reports to

supervisor

Department Head reports to HR of potential case

Department Head reports to HR of potential case

Activate contingency plan

Activate contingency plan

Communicate with Regulators

Communicate with Regulators

Participants’ Communications:

• Issue broadcast messages regarding the alternative arrangement, if applicable

• Handle Hotline enquires

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4. Reported SARS Case


A family member of a staff confirmed SARS infectionA family member of a staff confirmed SARS infectionAction TakenAction Taken– – no activation of contingency plan since it only affected staff no activation of contingency plan since it only affected staff

from supporting functions from supporting functions

Arrange comprehensive cleansing and disinfecting of the entire Arrange comprehensive cleansing and disinfecting of the entire floor of the contaminated officefloor of the contaminated office

Issue notice to all staffIssue notice to all staff

Require all related staff to wear masks at all times in the officeRequire all related staff to wear masks at all times in the office

Suspend cross-office visit of the related staff temporarily,Suspend cross-office visit of the related staff temporarily, where ever possiblewhere ever possible

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5. Reassemble of Normal Operations

Upon removing Hong Kong fromUpon removing Hong Kong fromthe Infected Area Listthe Infected Area List

by WHO on 23 June 2003by WHO on 23 June 2003

The split team arrangementre-assembled within one week

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Thank YouThank You

Documents

9 th ACG Cross-Training Seminar Precautionary Measures during Outbreak of SARS (2003) Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited 5 th July 2007 – Kuala