“It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.” – Howard Ruff
For companies in the Philippines, the rainy season brings risks like flooding, manpower issues, power interruptions, supply chain delays, logistics challenges as well as general safety concerns. These not only redound to increased absences, tardiness, health issues, delivery delays or materials shortages but also loss of potential income decline & lost opportunities.
Among measures to undertake to ensure operational preparedness is “flood-proofing” the facilities. This does not mean putting up billion peso worth of flood control projects or engineering intervention which is the primordial responsibility of the government. This is making sure that critical equipment is elevated, drainage systems is de clogged, if already installed and waterproofing storage areas to ensure that both materials & finished products remain dry & protected.
Prior to the onset of rainy season, building a sufficient buffer stock of raw materials and finished goods, with the intention of offsetting expected supply chain delays or logistical nightmares is a good inventory management practice.
If applicable, being open to flexible scheduling that should enable work shifts be easy to adjust production shifts in order to account for transport disruptions, delays in materials and employee safety without compromising labor law standards & rules.
To ensure energy & utilities are not impacted by inclement weather, backing up of power systems is done through the use & proper maintenance of generator/s, UPS units for company PC network & sufficient water reservoir to prevent downtime during outages.
Simulations of such scenarios where the easy switch in using back-up generator sets, UPS and water reservoir should be practiced, as part of preparedness & familiarity on how to deal with the challenges of the rainy season. It is already an expectation that inclement weather will negatively affect power grids & distribution supply being disrupted due to forced majeure. Even intermittent unstable supply water should be expected.
Additionally, any lull in rains is time for the facilities maintenance team to conduct thorough inspection electrical systems to avoid short circuits caused by moisture.
Workforce Safety & engagement is training employees on evacuation, flood response and first aid or emergency drill training. Employees need to have a simulation of how to act & what to do in case of emergencies such as rainy season even though majority of companies would locate in high grounds, but then again, no one will ever know. Never in my life have I seen our famous Balibago stretch, in our city, be flooded & “sewered” by floating garbage.
During inclement weather or monsoon rains, there will always be transport problems, flooding & health issues rising. This affects attendance & work efficiency. To resolve transport problems, most companies have extended transportation support. Shuttle services are deployed at certain pick-up points or in some instances, additional transport allowances for workers is given for those affected by heavy rains is a common form of mitigating practice.
As cases of colds, fever, flu & other extreme weather caused health issues arise, constant health monitoring of employees is advised. Being on guard for other rain-related illnesses such as dengue, leptospirosis etc. Promote preventive measures through awareness & medical bulletins help.
For Incident Response & reporting protocols for accidents, incidents &/or illnesses should be disseminated across the facility. Aside from internal mechanism, proven to be of big help specially in industrialized regions is strengthening of local partnerships such as working with Local Government Units for accurate & timely disaster alerts, community support not to mention even evacuation & rescue operations.
A thorough study on Business Continuity planning & implementation on Supply Chain & Community, if in place, should kick in. There should be supplier coordination through regular communication with vendors & customers alike about possible delays and share secure alternative routes to be able to deliver as expected by customers.
For food manufacturing plant might want to elevate raw material storage racks, install pumps, run weekly generator & utility back tests and provide rain gear for workers. At the same time, they coordinate with suppliers for alternate delivery routes to lessen chances of spoilage.
In electronic manufacturing companies, making sure of water catchment, waterproofing & 24/7 supply of electricity to run the machines, computers, lightings, communication system & water flow to support domestic usage requirements & the washing process if any, needs to be ensured.
In the Philippines, rainy season preparedness SOPs are needed to establish preventive and responsive measures during the rainy season, it should help minimize operational losses, ensure employee safety, and maintain production continuity. This applies to all departments specially for HR & Admin, Operations, Warehouse & Logistics plus Safety & across manufacturing facilities during the rainy season which is normally from June – November.
HR Department would be responsible for employee communication such as issuing advisories like transport disruptions, health risks, weather conditions& disseminate hotline numbers for weather related emergencies. In coordination with other departments concerned, it should also be ready to implement flexible work shifts or remote work for non-production staff. Ensure the timely & accurate arrangement of shuttle services for employees affected by flooding (if provided). Prior to the onset of the rainy season, HR and Safety should conduct awareness sessions on dengue, leptospirosis, and flu prevention.
Some good practices by certain companies include the distribution rain gear (boots, jackets, umbrellas) to frontline staff. Not to be affected, literally “rainy or shine” is the processing, disposition & dispensing of employee payroll & benefits. HR must ensure that there timely payroll despite possible banking delays. Give awareness on possible activation of emergency leave policies for affected employees.
Admin & Facilities Maintenance department’s main task during such weather disruptions would be to ensure facility readiness. This means that weeks before the start of the rainy or wet season, proactive measure. The inspection of drainage systems on planned intervals culminating with weekly during the rainy season itself.
De clogging of drainage systems, roof gutters & pipes should not be a one-time activity but a continuous cycle. Checking for roof leaks, water sipping through wall cracks and flooding of low lying areas in the facility grounds should be immediately addressed.
The Warehouse team should take action to ensure that raw materials & components at the warehouse or shopfloor be elevated & aptly protected. Not only should finished goods be placed in safe areas to anticipate worst case scenario flood level but also endeavor to waterproof storage areas and critical machinery.
While ample manpower will help production continuity, the lack of buffer stock of raw materials could derail everything. Procurement as a matter of policy should identify alternate suppliers and logistics routes.
Facilities maintenance’s task is to ensure ample supply of required energy supply & readiness on energy & utilities disruption. Many power issues brought about by damage to power grid, lines or even water contamination has in the past hindered company operations.
The Engineering team should make sure to test backup power generators and UPS units. Monitor structural integrity of roofs, walls, and flood barriers. Implementing energy conservation SOPs during unstable energy supply is an ideal action to be taken though should be based on its practicality & how implementable it is. From time to time, in coordination with the Safety team, a thorough inspection of electrical systems for moisture damage during & right after heavy downpour or flooding is also a good practice.
On the other hand, the importance of the activities & programs of the Safety Department will be key to minimizing the impact of disruptions during rainy season. Since its main responsibility is to ensure. It should spearhead the conduct of regular emergency preparedness such as evacuation and flood response drills. Posting of updated emergency contact lists and evacuation maps must also be done on a timely basis. Workplace Safety means provision for the distribution of suitable PPEs for wet conditions such as non-slip boots &/or raincoats.
For its part, management should lead in environmental stewardship. Programs such as rainwater harvesting for non-potable use should be supported & become a practice. Campaign for a robust waste segregation & proper disposal will help prevent clogging drainage. Allocate funds for consistent facility maintenance & care, health & safety programs, raw materials buffer stocks including food, fuel & sleeping quarters.
Looking at best practices of manufacturing companies in preparation for upcoming rainy season, there is a noticeable focus on prevention, preparedness and resilience. These aim to mitigate possible man days lost & financial losses. To do this, effort should be exerted to minimize risks primarily to man then to machines & materials. Because as they say, the rains will come no matter what & specially in the Philippines, “when it rains, it pours”.
GOOD MORNING HARDWORKING PEOPLE!
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