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Florida OSHA Alert

May 4th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

We’re all familiar with the flu, but a recent Florida OSHA alert points out that an influenza pandemic is a real possibility and could be a hazard in the workplace. When we think about the flu, most of us think about the annoying symptoms. We don’t think of the flu as life threatening to anyone other than infants, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems.

As the Florida OSHA alert points out, though, if a flu pandemic occurs, the consequences could be immense. A pandemic occurs when a disease has a worldwide outbreak. A new form of influenza could emerge, and no one would be immune to it. Although researchers would scramble to develop a vaccine, in the meantime, the virus could spread around the world.

Although no pandemic exists at the moment, the Florida OSHA alert makes it clear that employers and employees alike should prepare in case a pandemic does occur. If the virus were to be especially deadly, a pandemic could result in many deaths, cause disruptions to the social network of society, and have a massive impact on the global economy.

One concern at the moment is the avian influenza, which most people know as the bird flu. This virus, found in wild birds, has spread to domestic birds, including chickens and turkeys. In a few cases, the virus has spread from birds to humans. The concern is if the virus mutates so it easily spreads from birds to humans, a pandemic could occur.

Although the bird flu could cause a pandemic, the more likely pandemic scenario is one caused by a familiar form of influenza. When they happen, pandemics can take a real toll on human lives. In 1957, the influenza pandemic killed about 1 million people worldwide. In 1918, the Spanish Flu pandemic killed 25 million people in 25 weeks. An influenza pandemic is a serious concern to everyone in society, and employers and employees need to be prepared in case the worst-case scenario occurs.