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Introduction
Disasters can pose significant threats to the safety and well-being of workers. Effective disaster preparedness and response plans are essential to mitigate these risks.
Disasters can also make it unsafe or difficult for workers to get to work and may threaten the safety of workers (including employees and volunteers) when they are at work.
For example, extreme heat can create hazardous working conditions, leading to heat stress and other health risks for employees.
Queensland coroners court – findings into the death of a backpacker
In 2017, Belgium national Oliver Caramin died of heat stroke while picking pumpkins on a Queensland farm.
Bradford Clark Rosten (the labour hire contractor that employed Caramin) and M&L Zabala Investments (the company that leased the farm) were prosecuted for failing to ensure that the workplace (the farm) was without risks to health and safety of any person.
In considering the circumstances that led to Caramin’s death, the court noted:
- although workers raised concerns about the environmental conditions on the day, pressure was placed on them to continue picking and packing pumpkins
- there were no safe work procedures that addressed the risk of working in an outdoor environment other than to wear sunscreen, a wide brimmed hat and appropriate clothing for sun protection
- no PPE was supplied to the workers (they would usually supply their own, including gloves, sunscreen and hats) – Caramin wore a singlet and shorts and no hat
- there was no trained dedicated first aid officer on site among the work crew
- very little shade was available and there was no cool area where workers could take breaks
- there was no risk assessment or safe work procedure, and inadequate training was provided to workers – Caramin himself received no induction when he started work on the farm
Rosten was fined $65,000 and M&L Zabala Investments was fined $100,000.
Non-inquest findings into the death of Olivier Max Caramin 2017/4872 20 August 2021
Implementing disaster risk management in the workplace
An organisation has obligations under the law of negligence to take reasonable care not to cause foreseeable harm to other people (such as employees, volunteers, clients or the public).
An organisation also has obligations under workplace laws to provide a safe and healthy work environment , so far as is reasonably practicable , for its workers.
Effective risk management practices help organisations manage these obligations.
Disaster risk management involves:
- identifying, recording and assessing the risks involved in your organisation’s operations before, during and after a disaster, and
- developing a disaster risk management plan that considers what the organisation can do (or measures it can put in place) to eliminate the risks, or if elimination is not reasonably practicable, minimise the risks
While risk assessment doesn’t have to be a formal process, your organisation should document and routinely update a disaster risk management plan.
Note – planning for a disaster
To plan for disasters, your organisation should consider having a business continuity plan, an emergency action plan, a recovery plan, and a pandemic or infectious diseases plan.
Preparing these plans involves conducting risk assessments that are relevant to each plan. There will be an overlap between these risk assessments and the assessments you conduct to prepare a disaster risk management plan.
To identify and evaluate the risks involved in your organisation’s operations before, during and after a disaster:
- identify potential hazards (for example, floods, bushfires, earthquakes, terrorism, civil unrest and technological failures)
- evaluate the likelihood of the risk eventuating and the organisation's susceptibility to these hazards based on location, infrastructure, operations, and target population
- prioritise risks by determining which risks pose the greatest threat (in terms of severity or consequence and likelihood) to the organisation's operations, staff, and community, and
- consider specific risks like:
- the potential for damage to buildings, equipment, and infrastructure including the effect on safety
- the impact of disruptions to operations, such as loss of power, communication, or supply chains
- the risks to worker health and well-being, including injuries, illness, and psychological stress
- the potential impact of the disaster on the community the organisation serves
Examples of risks during a disaster may include:
- a volunteer, helping to clean up after a flood, slips in your organisation's building and injures themself
- someone in your community organisation steals money raised at a bushfire fundraiser
- someone has an allergic reaction to the food your organisation serves at an evacuation centre
- your organisation is looted during unrest and your computer equipment is taken
- your building is burnt down and you lose all your records
- an employee undertakes activities without authorisation
- your computer equipment fails or you get a virus and lose all your documents and client records, or
- one of your volunteers has a car accident while taking supplies to a stranded client
Things to include in your disaster risk management plan
- the organisation's goals for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery
- clear objectives for risk mitigation and business continuity including measures to minimise risks such as:
- creating a safe physical environment
- safety when providing goods and services to the public
- staff and volunteer safety guidelines
- computer and electronic security, and
- financial controls
- the assignment of roles and responsibilities to staff members for different disaster scenarios
- a clear chain of command for decision-making
- detailed plans for evacuation, communication, and response to various types of disasters
- communication plans to inform staff, volunteers, and the community about potential risks and emergency procedures
- communication channels for two-way communication to gather feedback and address concerns
- provision for staff training on disaster preparedness, response, and recovery procedures
- provision for the conduct of regular drills and exercises to test the effectiveness of emergency plans
- provision for regular reviews, including after a disaster occurs, further risks are identified, or additional knowledge regarding the availability or appropriateness of controls becomes known
Organisations should regularly review and update disaster risk management plans to reflect changes in staff, operations, and the risk environment.
Note – insurance
Insurance is one option to help an organisation manage the financial impact of risk.
While insurance will not stop a risk from occurring, it may help to limit the financial impact of a disaster.
For more information, see:
- our guide to insurance and risk management for community organisations
- our fact sheet on negligence
- our guide to community organisations and WHS laws
- part 4 of our national volunteering guide: volunteer safety
Case study – a disaster risk management plan to manage extreme heat
The Happy Days community centre located on the New South Wales coast provides community services, including after-school programs, youth activities, and senior citizen support. The coast is experiencing increasingly higher temperatures and Happy Days is concerned about managing the risks associated with extreme heat.
The extreme temperatures pose significant health risks to staff and community members. The risk is exacerbated because the centre serves a diverse population (including elderly people, children, and people with disabilities) who are particularly susceptible to heat-related illnesses. Happy Days has inadequate air conditioning.
After Happy Days has identified relevant risks, the centre prepares a disaster risk management plan that includes:
- conducting regular training sessions for staff on heat-related illnesses, symptoms, and prevention measures
- preparing emergency kits with supplies such as water, electrolyte drinks, sunscreen, and first aid materials
- identifying and establishing partnerships with local cooling centres where staff and community members can seek refuge during heatwaves
- clear procedures for responding to heat-related emergencies, including evacuation plans and protocols for providing first aid
- implementing a system for monitoring heat index levels and communicating with staff and community members about extreme heat warnings
Happy Days also includes the following specific measures for staff safety in its disaster risk management plan:
- conduct of regular health checks on staff, especially those working in outdoor or physically demanding roles
- encourage staff to stay hydrated and take breaks in cool areas
- provide appropriate clothing and sunscreen to protect staff from the sun
- consider flexible work arrangements, such as adjusted hours or remote work, to reduce exposure to extreme heat
Happy Days plans to review and update the disaster risk management plan based on lessons learned from heatwaves regularly.
For more information, see:
- Safe work Australia’s guide for managing the risks of working in the heat
- WorkSafe Victoria’s webpage ‘Working in heat’ – How to prevent heat illness from working outdoors in hot weather, or where heat is generated as part of work
- WorkSafe NSW’s webpage ‘Managing extreme heat at your workplace’
Disclaimer: These resources provide general information about legal issues that may arise for not-for-profit organisations in managing disasters. This information is a guide only and is not legal advice. If you or your organisation has a specific legal issue, you should seek legal advice before deciding what to do. See full disclaimer and copyright notice.
The content on this webpage was last updated in December 2024.
