When planning for a pandemic, masks and gloves are the last thing you need.

When considering a response to a pandemic, most employers immediately think of personal protective equipment (PPE), which are less effective measures used to protect employees and the public. Work practice, engineering controls, and administrative controls are far more effective but generally take more advanced time and resources to plan and implement. The key to a successful response is to be proactive as well as reactive. Every organization should include a planned response to a pandemic as part of the emergency response plan, business continuity plan, or general policies and procedures.

RMA was recently asked to assist a client in developing a pandemic response plan. In conducting our research, we discovered a wide variety of good resources available to assist organizations. OSHA’s Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic is well written and provides valuable information. Additional links are listed below.

• Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist provided by Flu.gov
• General Business and Workplace Guidance for the Prevention of Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Flu in Workers by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)