Pandemic Preparedness – Overview for Risk Managers

The very idea of a global pandemic is enough to cause universal concern – not just amongst risk managers at corporations worried about losing a large percentage of their workforce for a potentially extended period of time, but also amongst the general population, including employees and their families.  In fact, a sizable aspect of risk management at all levels of pandemic preparation includes dealing with panic and misinformation.  Recent scares such as H1N1 flu have thrown this reality into a harsh light, especially as the media continues to amplify coverage regarding a possible resurgence in flu cases.

Those responsible for defining the risk management policies dealing with an organization’s pandemic preparations can go a long way towards reassuring their employees of their safety by taking every possible step towards protecting their health.  Creating a work environment where everyone involved feels like they are the focus of a concerted effort to limit the effects of a possible pandemic is the responsibility of any manager dedicated to mitigating the disruption that such an event could possibly entail.

In recognition of this fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have put together a series of recommendations as to how to best protect employees from possible infection during the course of a pandemic.  There are many levels to OSHA’s guidelines, but for the most part they can be divided into three main areas.

The first has to do with changes that are made to the workplace itself in order to lessen the chances that a harmful agent could be introduced or spread throughout a facility¹.  This includes analyzing the physical environment and identifying vectors along which a sickness could potentially spread, as well as determining which employees might face the highest risk of exposure. Next, encouraging administrators to alter the behavior of employees through policies that encourage healthy decisions to be made when interacting with both clients and other workers is recommended¹. Everything from travel itineraries and habits to attitudes regarding absenteeism must be examined. Finally, changes that can be made at the level of everyday routines with regards to hygiene and personal protective clothing and other equipment are also deemed to be helpful . This can include the provision by the company of disposable hygiene equipment and bacterial control products such as hand sanitizers.

This three-tiered approach is meant to be part of an over-arching pandemic response policy that takes into account and integrates with the details of everyday operations and overall business flow.  The documentation and guidelines issued by OSHA offer an important starting point for risk managers looking to adopt meaningful changes to their disaster response strategies with an eye towards effectively dealing with a serious and growing employee health and safety concern.