{"title":"Pandemic response in the energy sector and implications for critical infrastructure resilience management","authors":"Sally O’Brien, Kristen MacAskill","doi":"10.1680/jensu.21.00094","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Covid-19 highlighted shortcomings in the ability of critical infrastructure organisations to manage and operate their systems and assets. While the possibility of a pandemic was not unknown, management protocols fell short of preparing for this ‘tail-risk’ scenario. This paper assesses organisational response to the global pandemic and what this reveals in terms of: (a) attitudes towards risks that do not typically manifest as operational priorities to address and (b) the implications for organisational resilience. Covid-19 impact management strategies developed by critical infrastructure organisations and their potential implications on wider risks and management capabilities are reviewed. The complex and evolving nature of critical infrastructure system management is demonstrated through examples of risk interconnectivity and resource scarcity. For example, the pandemic did not directly impact physical infrastructure, yet cascading issues are revealed that relate to the forced delay of planned asset maintenance and the impacts of supply chain disruptions. This paper demonstrates the need for holistic, multi-hazard management approaches in critical infrastructure organisations to ensure a level of operational resilience that is required for the 21st Century. This paper also views critical infrastructure organisations as sociotechnical entities and highlights how building a resilience-oriented working culture can support effective risk planning and investment decisions.","PeriodicalId":49671,"journal":{"name":"Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Engineering Sustainability","volume":"46 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2022-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Engineering Sustainability","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1680/jensu.21.00094","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, CIVIL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Covid-19 highlighted shortcomings in the ability of critical infrastructure organisations to manage and operate their systems and assets. While the possibility of a pandemic was not unknown, management protocols fell short of preparing for this ‘tail-risk’ scenario. This paper assesses organisational response to the global pandemic and what this reveals in terms of: (a) attitudes towards risks that do not typically manifest as operational priorities to address and (b) the implications for organisational resilience. Covid-19 impact management strategies developed by critical infrastructure organisations and their potential implications on wider risks and management capabilities are reviewed. The complex and evolving nature of critical infrastructure system management is demonstrated through examples of risk interconnectivity and resource scarcity. For example, the pandemic did not directly impact physical infrastructure, yet cascading issues are revealed that relate to the forced delay of planned asset maintenance and the impacts of supply chain disruptions. This paper demonstrates the need for holistic, multi-hazard management approaches in critical infrastructure organisations to ensure a level of operational resilience that is required for the 21st Century. This paper also views critical infrastructure organisations as sociotechnical entities and highlights how building a resilience-oriented working culture can support effective risk planning and investment decisions.
期刊介绍:
Engineering Sustainability provides a forum for sharing the latest thinking from research and practice, and increasingly is presenting the ''how to'' of engineering a resilient future. The journal features refereed papers and shorter articles relating to the pursuit and implementation of sustainability principles through engineering planning, design and application. The tensions between and integration of social, economic and environmental considerations within such schemes are of particular relevance. Methodologies for assessing sustainability, policy issues, education and corporate responsibility will also be included. The aims will be met primarily by providing papers and briefing notes (including case histories and best practice guidance) of use to decision-makers, practitioners, researchers and students.