Swine Influenza (A/H1N1)

This article doesn’t attempt to look at the Influenza threat from a medical practitioner point of view, since there are far better qualified people to deal with those aspects.

We are examining the issue in terms of its health and safety implications for business

Current State of Play

There is a great deal of media coverage for the so called swine flu and the possibility of a global pandemic.

As of the time of writing, the situation may be summarized as:

• The outbreak appears to be centred in Mexico, where many people have already died from the infection.
• The disease has been confirmed in a number of other countries, including the UK.
• So far there have only been fatalities in Mexico. Cases in other countries appear to be less severe, although nobody knows why this should be so therefore we cannot be complacent about the level of risk.
• Unlike the scare a few years ago from so called bird flu, this strain of influenza is easily passed from person to person, making transmission of the virus so much easier.

• Governments have a major role to play in containing this risk and the UK government has stock-piled anti-viral drugs to treat up to half the UK population, should it prove necessary. However, there are limits to what governments are able to do and employers cannot afford to ignore the threat.

Apart from their legal duties under health and safety legislation, employers could also be faced with serious consequences for their businesses, should their workforce (or that of their suppliers or customers) be severely infected.

Assessing the Risk

So how should an employer approach this particular threat? Although there is a general underlying risk that affects everyone, different organisations will also have risks that are peculiar to their circumstances.

For example, any organisation whose employees travel to places where the virus is most rampant is at a higher risk. The travel industry itself is another example and health care professionals are a further group that is clearly at risk should significant infection spread.

According to currently available information, there is no risk from eating meat from pigs, assuming, of course, that it is properly cooked.

These are just examples of groups who may be at risk of infection. It is incumbent on each employer to consider the activities of their own workers to assess the risk from infection.

A risk assessment should be carried out as soon as possible after a hazard is identified, which for swine flu means NOW. Should a pandemic occur, the spread of the virus could be very rapid, which is not the best time to start thinking about risk assessments and effective control measures.

Identify groups of employees who could be at risk, such as those who travel abroad or those who attend mass gatherings. Then follow established procedures for assessing risk, such as the free HSE leaflet INDG163.

If you need further advice on how to go about conducting a risk assessment or the types of control measures to put in place, you need to contact our consultants.

Addressing the Risks

Having identified the nature of the risks, you need to decide on the most appropriate control measures. These will vary from one situation to another, but there are some general precautions you can take.

Keep employees informed

Ensure all employees are properly informed about the risks, both in general terms and in specific ways that might affect them in the course of their work.

As well as being aware of the risks, employees also need to know about any precautions you have put in place to minimize the likelihood of infection and what you expect of them, should they become infected.

It is a fact that many UK employees believe it is a sign of weakness if they allow an infection to keep them away from work. Much as such a work ethic may be commendable, it is seriously counterproductive if other people become infected as a result.

In the case of swine flu, should the UK be affected in the same way as Mexico, the consequences of spreading infection could be potentially fatal – and this needs to be made clear to “workaholic” employees.

Consequently, should there be a serious outbreak in the UK, employees need to be aware that they will not be welcome in the workplace if they have reasonable grounds for believing they are infected. Instead, they should seek immediate professional medical advice.

Common Sense Measures

Some precautions are obvious when pointed out but it is still worth making the point. For example:

• Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently, regardless of whether or not they are visibly soiled
• If at all possible, avoid travelling to parts of the world where the infection is already present
• Avoid mass gatherings of people anywhere if there is any reason to believe that infected people may be present (including yourself)
• Avoid gatherings in the workplace if it is possible to make alternative arrangements
• If you have to mix with people that you believe could be infected, ensure you wear appropriate protective clothing, particularly a mask, and that you follow available advice for washing, cleaning and disinfecting
• As far as possible, avoid touching the face, particularly around the areas of the mouth, nose and eyes
• Seek help and advice at the first signs of any symptoms, particularly fever, coughing, sore throat or difficulty in breathing

When travelling to infected parts of the world

Since people who travel extensively are at increased risk of infection, it makes sense to avoid travel, if at all possible, to places where the infection exists. However, if travel is essential, take sensible precautions:

Before travel

• Educate yourself on the current situation in the country you plan to visit
• Visit your doctor for advice and ensure you are up to date with all routine vaccinations. Flu of any kind is bad enough by itself without suffering other infections at the same time.
• Check out health care resources in the destination country before leaving
• Ensure your medical and travel insurance are sufficient to get you home in an emergency

After travel

• Monitor your health for at least a couple of weeks after your return
• If you need to consult a medical practitioner, be sure to inform them where you have been and when
• Avoid unnecessary contact with others to minimise the potential for any infection to spread

In summary, the first thing every employer needs to do is to undertake an assessment as a matter of urgency in order to identify and evaluate the risks to employees of contracting swine flu. The level of risk can vary for different groups of employees, depending on their specific circumstances, and therefore it is important to identify who may be affected by the risks and how.

Next consider what precautions you can put in place; considering preventative measures first and then what needs to be done in the event of significant infection of your workforce.

Finally, you need to ensure all employees are properly briefed as to the true nature of the risks and what they need to do in order to comply with the precautions you have put in place.

Useful links

Dept of Health - http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/index.htm

Health Protection Agency - http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&Page&HPAwebAutoListName/Page/1240732817665?p=1240732817665

World Health Organisation - http://www.who.int/en/

If you think you may need to enlist the aid of experienced health and safety specialists to help you, then please give us a call