labor lawAdivision of labor law center

A recent announcement by the California OSHA addresses a potential flu pandemic and how employers should and can prepare for one. A pandemic is simply a global disease outbreak. “As with any catastrophe, having a contingency plan is essential.”

A pandemic contingency plan is equally as important as the one many employers currently have in place for hurricanes, floods and natural disasters.

An influenza pandemic would have more of an impact on the global economy than a single terrorist attack. It would affect trade, tourism, travel, the food supply and consumer buying.

It would affect consumer buying in that grocery stores will be busy as consumers empty the shelves of necessary supplies. Some of the necessary supplies such as hand sanitizer and tissues could be in short supply.

It could affect food supply because normal deliveries won’t occur due to supply chain interruption. Healthcare facilities could get overcrowded. Tourism and travel would experience a steep decline because people will be avoiding contact with other people in attempt to stay healthy. (Influenza is spread through person-to-person contact.) The same holds true for businesses such as malls, restaurants and movie theaters.

An influenza outbreak would increase employee absenteeism and create ripples in the investment and financial markets.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says that there is currently no new strain of influenza and no pandemic. Still the administration urges employers to be prepared. Employers play an important role in protecting the health and safety of workers. A well though out influenza plan will prevent or minimize widespread economic disruptions.

The last influenza outbreak our nation experienced occurred near the end of World War I and killed 50 to 100 million people in just 18 months. Not even this many people died in the war itself. In WWI 9 million soldiers died, as did several million civilians. The influenza pandemic was called the Spanish Flu and happened in 1918.

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