The Voice of Business in Hawaii - Be prepared

- From Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii President Jim Tollefson -

We all agree that our employees are our most valuable asset. Having a healthy and productive staff is critical to our continued success. Anytime an employee is out sick it affects the entire team and the productivity of the office.

Now, more than ever, when many businesses are functioning with smaller staffs or dealing with employee furloughs, any employee illness can have a major impact on a company's ability to perform. As we approach what the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said may be one of our most challenging flu seasons through this fall and winter, it is very important for every business to plan and prepare their company. Along with increasingly stronger flu strains, the CDC has stated they expect the H1N1 influenza to increase and they believe more people and communities will be affected.

Currently, I am serving on the Advisory Council for the Department of Health Pandemic Influenza Public Engagement Demonstration Project. The council recognizes that for Hawaii to be prepared and respond effectively to an influenza outbreak it involves everyone: individuals, communities, businesses, States, Federal agencies, international countries and organizations. Creating public awareness and involvement is important to reducing the impact or spread of severe influenza.

The CDC is asking employers to plan to be able to respond in a flexible way to varying levels of the severity of an outbreak. They have created the "CDC Guidance for Businesses and Employers To Plan and Respond to the 2009-2010 Influenza Season". The new guide recommends actions that non-healthcare employers should take now to decrease the spread of seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu in the workplace. The guide also includes additional strategies to use if flu conditions become more severe and there are new recommendations regarding when a worker who is ill with influenza may return to work. It can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business/guidance/. We will also be placing this guide and additional links on the Chamber website.

With the potential of increased illnesses within our staffs, or having an employee out who is a primary caretaker, or even more challenging, an outbreak that causes any type of temporary closure, employers must be prepared to respond in order to limit interruptions to their business.
As a small organization, your Chamber recognizes how important it is to plan for flu season. As a team, we will be reviewing an influenza pandemic plan, posting the key health and safety preventative measures, and have options such as the ability for an employee to work from home to continue business. The business community plays an important role in limiting the negative impact of the H1N1 influenza and seasonal flu outbreaks. I want to urge every Chamber member and business to incorporate the CDC's guidance plan and be proactive.

Additional tools and guidance documents have been developed by the federal government to assist employers in their planning. These resources are available online at: www.flu.gov/plan/workplaceplanning/index.html

One-Stop www.flu.gov

2009 H1N1 Influenza Information http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/

2009 H1N1 Influenza Resources for Businesses and Employers http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business/

Worker Safety and Health Guidance for a Pandemic www.osha.gov/dsg/topics/pandemicflu/index.html

OSHA's Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic http://www.osha.gov/Publications/influenza_pandemic.html

CDC/NIOSH Occupational Health Issues Associated with 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/h1n1flu/

Jim Tollefson
President & CEO
The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii
The Voice of Business in Hawaii
1132 Bishop Street, Suite 402
Honolulu, Hi. 96813
Ph: 808-545-4300 ext 388
Fax 808-545-4369
www.cochawaii.org