BC011_English: Fatality and Repatriation Business Continuity Management

The fatality of a staff member can be traumatic for those involved, but can also have far reaching implications for the organization as a whole, especially where a death occurs while at work, or through a violent act. Few managers have been subject to the complexities of dealing with a fatality, and fewer still in terms of being involved in the international repatriation of the deceased remains. Fatality management touches upon a raft of issues, whether in terms of dealing with family liaison management, staff morale considerations, operational and logistic needs, legal and reputational considerations, the interaction and management of external stakeholders, and the challenges of managing a transnational event while under significant pressures. This is exacerbated where the deceased has died in areas remote from support, or lacking in supportive infrastructure. Those involved face not only the emotional trauma, but also the risk of being perceived, or accused, of incompetency and a lac