President Obama has approved legislation to increase the budgets to two of the key government agencies responsible for ensuring occupational safety. The appropriations bill, signed into law in December, will increase 2010 OSHA and NIOSH budgets by 8% and 5%, respectively. According to Safety + Health magazine, the agencies expect to use the additional funds to hire compliance officers and expand pandemic flu preparedness.
Archive for the ‘Pandemic Flu’
From January 2010 issue of Safety+Health:
“CDC and OSHA estimate as much as 40 percent of a workforce could be affected by a pandemic and be absent from work due to illness, having to care for a sick family member, or having to care for children in the event of a school closure. In addition to absenteeism, organizations must contend with presenteeism–when a sick worker is physically present. According to CDC, an individual who comes to work with the H1N1 virus will infect 10 percent of the workforce.”
Comments Off
The US Center for Disease Control is warning Americans not to become complacent regarding the H1N1 Flu Virus. The virus continues to effect Americans across the country with four New England states still reporting widespread activity. Between August 30 and December 26, there were more than 37,000 influenza-associated hospitalizations and nearly 1,700 deaths in the United States (CDC).
Read more:
CDC: H1N1 still circulating; vaccine plentiful
As Swine Flu Wanes, Don’t Be Fooled
Comments Off
A: According to Flu.gov, employers are permitted to require employees to wear gloves and other personal protective equipment to reduce the transmission of a pandemic virus such as H1N1.
For more information, such as accommodating employees with disabilities, click here.
Comments Off
Glove recommendations related to the H1N1 flu by the CDC, FDA, and OSHA remain vague. Below are links to guidelines containing information on glove usage that have been published to date:
- OSHA: Healthcare Workplaces Classified as Very High or High Exposure Risk for Pandemic Influenza
- CDC: Interim Guidance on Infection Control Measures for 2009 H1N1 Influenza in Healthcare Settings, Including Protection of Healthcare Personnel
- CDC: Interim Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Guidance for Cruise Ships
- CDC: Interim Guidance for Management of Influenza-Like Illness aboard Commercial Aircraft during the 2009-10 Influenza Season
- CDC: Interim Guidance for People who have Close Contact with Pigs in Non-commercial Settings
- CDC: Interim Guidance for Workers who are Employed at Commercial Swine Farms
- CDC: Prevention of 2009 H1N1 Influenza Transmission in Dental Health Care Settings
Comments Off
