Emergency Preparedness and Infectious Disease

How far does your safety program reach? What scenarios are accounted for in your emergency preparedness planning? Have you considered solutions necessary to protect your employees and keep your business running?

The presence of Ebola in America has shed light on an often overlooked element of emergency preparedness planning: viral outbreaks. This threat makes the daily efforts of managing employee safety and health more critical. And while the Ebola threat is contained, the possibility for other viruses such as Enterovirus D68 or the flu, which kills thousands each year, need to be carefully considered as part of safety and preparedness efforts. 

Business continuity planning before an emergency is key to maintaining and/or quickly recovering your business operations in the event of a business disruption. Leaders need to develop a preparedness plan that addresses the various hazards that could threaten operations. The preparations needed for a potential natural disaster differ from those necessary for a viral outbreak – and all need to be planned for. 

• Have you assembled an Illness Management team?

• Do you have open lines of communication with public health agencies and healthcare providers?

• Do you have employee policies that dictate illness reporting and return-to-work procedures?

• Are you communicating with your employees so as to minimize panic and misinformation?

• Have you identified mission-critical functions and employees?

• Are alternate work sites or work-from-home guidelines in place?

• Are you stressing health-related safety and hygiene practices in the workplace?

These and other elements of a comprehensive preparedness plan for infectious diseases need to be developed now – before the next outbreak occurs. This can easily fall under the emergency preparedness, safety or business continuity umbrella. Whatever you call it, preparation and action is needed to protect your employees and your business. Through advanced planning, vulnerabilities can be identified and remedied. 

 

  About the Author
  Allied Universal Fire Life Safety Team