Businesses warned to step up swine flu preparations

The outbreak of swine flu has been declared the first worldwide influenza pandemic in over 40 years, as the World Health Organisation lifted the outbreak’s alert status to its highest level. Businesses are being warned to prepare for the rapid spread of the virus, while individuals feeling ill are advised to seek medical attention immediately and cease work if infected.

The director-general of the WHO, Margaret Chan, says that Australia should prepare for more swine flu deaths and that, “We are satisfied that this virus is spreading … and that it is now unstoppable”.

The WHO has updated its pandemic alert level to “level six”. The Federal Government recommends that businesses take measures to prepare for a workplace outbreak including the following:

• Consider the viability of the business, including possibly reducing or suspending work if an outbreak occurs and the business does not provide “key services”.
• Prepare for longer wait periods for goods from overseas, and source alternative providers.
• Isolate air circulation systems into low-populated areas of the workplace.
• Stock up on cleaning and disinfectant products.
• Use personal protective equipment for staff interacting with customers.
• Provide health information for employees.
• Encourage home quarantines for those staff feeling unwell.

Businesses must also keep employees up-to-date with any new information on the virus. The WHO also wants businesses to arrange for as many staff as possible to work from home, introduce restrictions on customer entry to the workplace and use as many methods of non face-to-face communication as possible.

The government also recommends businesses cancel all unnecessary overseas travel, and encourage employees travelling overseas for business to return home as soon as possible.

Graham Nisbet, founder and principal consultant of risk management firm Continuity Planners Australia, says that businesses should make sure staff are multi-skilled. If a large number of critical staff become ill, there should be enough employees to take over their duties.

“Businesses should keep communicating and cross-skilling. The virus is about twice the strength of normal flu, so if you may have had 10% of your staff off sick you may now have 20%. In which case some multi-skilling may be tough, but there should be enough staff to make sure the important features of the business can be done.”

“This virus will move through the community quickly so it’s good to be prepared, and it may come back after a first wave of infections so businesses should be prepared for that too.”