uitwijk

Uitwijk is a Dutch term used to describe a place or option that serves as a temporary or alternate location to avoid danger or to continue operations during a disruption. In safety planning and business continuity, an uitwijklocatie (or uitwijkplaats) functions as a backup site where personnel can work, systems can be restored, or services can be maintained while the primary site is unavailable or undergoing maintenance. The concept is applied across sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, critical infrastructure, and information technology.

In practice, uitwijk can take several forms. A physical uitwijklocatie is an off-site building or facility prepared to host people and equipment on short notice. An on-site but segregated area can also serve as a limited uitwijk during smaller incidents. In information technology and disaster recovery, an uitwijk is often a disaster recovery site or failover location where IT services are redirected to preserve availability. With the rise of cloud computing, cloud-based uitwijk solutions provide remote hosting and data replication to enable rapid restoration of operations.

Etymologically, the word derives from uit (out) and wijk (district or area), reflecting the idea of moving out of the usual area to a safer or more resilient location. In formal planning documents, uitwijk is treated as a component of risk management, alongside prevention, response, and recovery measures. See also disaster recovery, business continuity planning, and emergency management.