Crisis Management@CERN Simon Baird

EN Seminar 30th January 2014

Crisis Management @ CERN

What is Crisis Management?

Some examples of organizational reactions to a crisis

What were our aims for Crisis Management at CERN?

What defines a crisis for CERN

How did we establish Crisis Management plans/procedures

Who is involved, what should they do, where do they do it

Crisis communication plan

First Crisis Management exercises

Future actions

What is Crisis Management?

… is the process by which an Organization deals with a

major event, which threatens to harm the Organization,

its stakeholders or the general public.

… and consists of

Defining what constitutes a Crisis, and therefore should trigger

the pre-established response mechanisms

Defining and implementing these response mechanisms

Management and Communication during the response phase

(including post-Crisis actions)

No matter how well we prepare “accidents will happen”

Risk can be minimized but not eliminated

What defines a crisis?

A Crisis has 3 elements:- Threat to the Organization and its correct operation

Surprise

Short decision time

Different types of crisis?

Technological; Complex systems go wrong, human error…

Natural disaster: Earthquake, flood, extreme weather….

Man-made disasters: Terrorism, plane crash…

Confrontational: Strike, boycott, sit-in…

Negligence: Managerial misconduct, misuse of funds….

External criminal acts: Computer hacking, sabotage, hostage taking…

Reputational: Spread of information which harms an Organization's reputation…

Reaction to a crisis

Detection

How do we know we have a crisis?

Preparedness

What are we going to do?

Limitation

We need to act quickly

Recovery

How can we get back to business as usual?

Lessons

What can we do better in future?

See the crisis as an opportunity

Examples of reactions to a crisis

Examples……………. (Good)

In 1982 a well-known over-the-counter drug was poisoned

(product tampering) with cyanide (7 deaths)

Prompt action = Millions of capsules were immediately withdrawn

from sale and destroyed (cost =100M dollars)

Taking responsibility = CEO appeared in person to explain what was

being done

Tamper-proof containers were rapidly introduced

Rumours of contaminated cans of a popular soft drink (1993)

Taking responsibility = Company CEO appeared live on TV with

videos showing the canning process

Prompt action = Company enlisted support of FDA (Food & Drugs

Administration) from the beginning

Rumours turned out to be a hoax

Examples……………… (Bad)

Smartphone design flaw = short circuit caused loss of

reception, when held in a certain position

Denial = “It is not a big issue…”

Blame someone else = “Do not hold it that way…”

Not telling the truth = “There is no reception issue, stay

tuned…”

Internet security breach for a major games network

On-line game network was shutdown, when it was found that

personal (including credit card) details for 77 million

customers were compromised

Not acting promptly = No-one was told for a week that their

personal data could have been stolen

Examples……………… (Ugly)

Major brand 4×4 in accidents = at least 100 deaths

Blame someone else. = “It is not the car it’s the tires… “not the tires

it’s the car…. “The drivers did not inflate tires properly…

Lack of Communication = No formal communication with the public

until both companies were called to testify before the US

Congress….

Gulf of Mexico oil spill

Denying responsibility = “This is not our accident. .. “The drilling rig

was operated by another company. .. “We are not responsible

Giving incorrect information = Announcing spill as 1000 barrels per

day when it was 5000

….

What were our aims for CERN? Ensure that the CERN Management fully supports the idea

Study a number of Major Events (or Crises) which have affected CERN in the past,

Validate, which Major Events should be classified as Crises

Decide on the most likely Crises CERN will face in the future

Establish a Crisis Management Team (CMT), whose role will be to manage a Crisis, whenever it occurs.

Establish the list of CMT members (and alternates).

Establish a Crisis Management Centre (CMC) at CERN, from which the CMT can operate

Establish the procedures the CMT will use during the management of a Crisis

Set up training exercises by simulating Crises and the Organisational response to them.

Propose actions to:-

Minimize the likelihood and severity (impact) of potential future Crises at CERN

Ensure that the Organization can learn from a Crisis, and our response to it,

What defines a crisis?

Indications are:

Numerous injuries or casualties

Evacuation of personnel

Severe impact on the operation of CERN facilities

Serious damage to CERN facilities

Serious damage to the environment

Serious radiological impact

….

These are indications… better to have a measure?

CERN Adverse Event Scale

CCC/TI Deviation Anomaly Incident Serious

Incident

Accident

Level 0 1 2 3 4

Description Alarm with

no stop of

facilities

Short stop of

equipment

causing facility

stop

Significant stop

of a facility

Possible

equipment

damage

Major on-site

equipment damage

Minor off-site damage

Non-reversible on-site

damage

Major off-site damage

Events Laser level 1

or 2 alarms

Downtime few

hours

Downtime 24 -

72 hours

Downtime several

weeks.

Serious affect on

physics program

Event outside normal

operation's scenarios

Downtime several

months

Serious threat to future

operations

Political impact

2011 5256 102 5 0

0

Examples E.g. power cuts,

thunder

storms, water

problems…

E.g. Storm trips

MP7 loop =

LHC without

power

July 2006 power

failure

BA3 Fire

Sept. 2008 sector 3-4

Escalation TI Operator TI Operator,

technical

responsible

TI supervisor,

Group and

Dept Leader

CMT & DG CMT & DG

CCC/TI Deviation Anomaly Incident Serious

Incident

Accident

Level 0 1 2 3 4

Description Alarm with

no stop of

facilities

Short stop of

equipment

causing facility

stop

Significant stop

of a facility

Possible

equipment

damage

Major on-site

equipment damage

Minor off-site damage

Non-reversible on-site

damage

Major off-site damage

Events Laser level 1

or 2 alarms

Downtime few

hours

Downtime 24 -

72 hours

Downtime several

weeks.

Serious affect on

physics program

Event outside normal

operation's scenarios

Downtime several

months

Serious threat to future

operations

Political impact

2011 5256 102 5 0

0

Examples E.g. power cuts,

thunder

storms, water

problems…

E.g. Storm trips

MP7 loop =

LHC without

power

July 2006 power

failure

BA3 Fire

Sept. 2008 sector 3-4

Escalation TI Operator TI Operator,

technical

responsible

TI supervisor,

Group and

Dept Leader

CMT & DG CMT & DG

Crisis Management Documents

CERN Crisis Management Policy = what

Mandate, scope & principles,

Responsibility & accountability,

Monitoring of performance

CERN Crisis Management Procedures = how

Notification & activation,

Team functions & responsibilities,

Situation assessment, issues and actions, decision

processes & logging….

CERN Crisis Communications Plan

Crisis Management Team structure

Functions, members & responsibilities

Concept of operations

What constitutes a crisis

Notification & Activation

Crisis response process

Standard meeting agenda

Situation Assessment & SITREP

Checklists for issues & actions

Stakeholder matrix

Actions & Outcomes table (information management)

Decision and process logging

CERN Crisis Management Procedures

External review by specialized consultants

Followed by a training program on crisis management

Overview of crisis management best-practice

Describe the tools and techniques

Roles and responsibilities

Use of the CERN CM procedures

How the CMT should operate

Feedback on the training

“Need of more practical trainings”

“Nice course. Good introduction. But if a crisis happened tomorrow it would still be chaos, although better organised chaos. “

“Tendency to stumble into the silver level and debate details too long would certainly happen.”

External review in February 2013

Comms team: Media

Public

Staff Users

Member States

Host States

Host State HSE

The CMT

Chair

Head of

Comms.

hair

Technical

Lead

Emergency

Services Safety Information

Management Admin

Support

Dept.

Leaders LHC tech

Coords

40 people

Members & alternates

+ Directors

Log keeper DG

The CMT CMT Leader Simon Baird

Alternate Mike Lamont

DG Rolf Heuer

Alternate

Nominated Director

Emergency services Gianni Deroma

Alternate Maurici Galofré Vila

Technical lead Freddy Bordry

Alternate Paul Collier

Health & Safety Ralf Trant

Alternate Enrico Cennini

Administration Connie Potter

Alternate Sevda Budun

Jeanette Schueler

Log keeping Dawn Hudson

Alternate Georgina Hobgen

Communications James Gillies

Alternate Corinne Pralavorio

Information Management Peter Sollander

Alternate Rende Steerenberg

Is this a crisis? Current situation Does the incident go beyond normal operation procedures?

Are there multiple incidents?

Is there a risk of the current situation getting significantly worse?

Resources Do we need external non-CERN assistance from host state

authorities/ other organisations?

Health & Safety Are there severe injuries or possible fatalities

Is there still a risk that the situation could evolve and endanger

people on or off the CERN site?

Environment Is the environment in or around CERN premises severely affected

by the incident?

Are there any possible regulatory breaches or implications?

Infrastructure & Operations Are any of CERN operations already severely affected?

Is there still a risk, which could severely affect CERN’s operations?

Reputation Are users, visitors, contractors or the public aware of the situation?

Could CERN’s reputation be at risk?

Notification & Activation

CCC or SCR assessment is yes this could be a crisis

Notify CMT Leader or alternate

CMT Leader decides (or not) to initiate crisis plan and

informs DG

CCC or SCR notify the rest of the CMT team

CMT meets at the CMC (within 1 hour)

CMT Leader

assigns roles on the CMT

with Technical lead decides which department leaders etc. are

needed

starts first CMT situation meeting

CMT Operation

1. Regular situation meetings (maximum 45 minutes)

Assessment of situation = what has happened, where, when etc. & what actions have been taken

Identify any immediate critical decisions/actions and implement

Identify issues arising from the incident and resulting actions

Stakeholders, people, environment, operations, premises/assets, reputation, future (what will we need to do tomorrow?)

Set priorities for actions, decisions

Determine a communication strategy

Logbook to record actions, decisions etc.

2. Update the Situation Report

What we know, what we have done, what we are doing

Identified issues, priorities & critical decisions to be made

3. Break for implementation (~1 hour)

4. Go back to 1 above

CMT situation meetings key outputs

Required Output

Situation

Awareness Full and comprehensive understanding of the situation

Issues Issues facing CERN arising from the situation identified

Actions Actions, timelines and responsibilities determined

People Injured, deceased and missing people accounted for

Priorities Strategic priorities for CERN in response to the

situation identified

Decisions Key strategic decisions made by the CMT

Record/Log All decisions and actions logged by log keeper

Critical Timings All critical timings for actions and decisions identified

Communications Communications strategy and plan developed

Questions Questions and requests for further information made

from those on the scene

EDMS 1316953

CERN Crisis Management – Situation Assessment Current situation

What has happened?

Where did it happen?

When did it happen?

Who was involved?

What response

actions have taken

place so far

Risks

Could the situation

get worse?

What are the biggest

received risks so far?

Questions/ Information required

What further

information do we

need to make

decisions?

EDMS 1316953

CERN Crisis Management - Issues and Actions

Time

added

Issue Action By

Whom

Time

completed

CMC (Crisis Management Centre)

Establish two dedicated centres from which to manage a Crisis Redundancy

Type of Crisis

Building 65 (Fire Brigade) and 874 (CCC)

Requirements Always available and ready to use

Emergency power

Phones, internet, video conference facilities

Projector, PC(s), Whiteboards,

Plans, documentation

…….

Plus a dedicated Communications room Media monitoring equipment , internet, TV’s etc…

PC’s, whiteboards, phones…

…..

CMC (Crisis Management Centre)

The first CMC in building 65 is

is prepared and equipped

CCC will be done this year

Crisis Communication Plan

Stand alone document and team

Work alongside the CMT

Developed by DG/CO

CERN Public statements

Information to staff, users etc..

Official communication with host states, member states…

Organization of interviews, press conferences

Briefing CERN spokesperson

Monitoring of media channels

Social media management & interaction

Crisis hotline

Exercises

Organised by an external consultant

Exercise = 1 day

2 exercises a few weeks apart train twice as many people

Using the same scenario

Tabletop, but with real time outside interactions

CMT and the Communications team

Scenario be prepared and run by consultants

With expert input from CERN

External observers for feedback after each exercise

Dates = October/November 2013

Scenario

A serious fire inside the CMS cavern

Potential radio-active and environmental implications

An Israeli delegation is visiting point 5 with TV crew &

journalists

Evacuation… 3 people not accounted for

Serious injuries, even one fatality

Intense media scrutiny

Journalists calls

Twitter, Facebook, …

Live TV news bulletins…

Felt very realistic…

Aims of the exercises

Rehearse team members

CMT and Communications team

2 exercises (same scenario)

Test and validate the implementation processes (for CMT &

the Crisis Communications team)

Notification & Implementation

Test CMT Operation

The “battle rhythm” process

Strategic decision making and CERN’s response to the incident

Management of media & communications (internal and external)

Do we have the correct interfaces in place for the CMT to

implement the response strategy?

Lessons learned from the exercises

Simple things

Not enough power plugs, too many phones…

Layout of the CMC

The initial callout procedure is too long

CMT Operation

Link between CMT and Communications team

Double check information before making an announcement

Don’t believe everything you hear!

Stay strategic!

Training needed for holding a press conference

Improve the situation report tools

How do we handle a CMT change-over (>12 hours)

How should we handle host state relations?

Other activities

Update CMT procedures, CMC facilities etc.

Additional training is needed Specialized crisis communications training

…..

Set-up a second CMC in 874 Rooms are emptied and reserved (thanks to BE/OP)

Implement the maintenance plan for the CMC equipment

Presence for major events Passport Big Bang Day in 2013

Open Days in 2013

60th Anniversary activities in 2014

Organize one exercise per year Test procedures = keep things up to date

Train the people….

And …..

….. be prepared