CDC: Get Your Workplace Ready - Before a Flu Pandemic Occurs: Plan

Did you know community-wide pandemic flu planning by employers can help limit the impact to the economy and community?

• Establishing ongoing communication with your local public health department now can give you access to relevant information before and during a pandemic.

• Small Workplaces: A flu pandemic can be especially challenging for small workplaces. Up to 40% of workplaces never reopen following a major disaster. Planning for flu or other disasters is key. Put strategies in place to protect your workers, customers, and business

Update your existing emergency operations plan

• Meet with your emergency operations coordinator or planning team to update your emergency operations plan.

• Small Workplaces: Select an emergency planning coordinator and one support person to plan for emergencies like pandemic flu. They will be responsible for engaging community partners in planning efforts, reviewing workplace policies and protocols, and identifying critical workplace functions and positions to maintain during an emergency. Learn more about pandemic flu and Continuity of Operations Planning by visiting https:// www.fema.gov/media -library/assets/ documents/93250

• Establish relationships with key community partners and stakeholders.

Address key prevention strategies in your emergency operations plan

• Promote the daily practice of everyday preventive actions at all times

• Provide flu-prevention supplies in your workplace

• Plan for worker absences

• Develop a method for monitoring and tracking flurelated worker absences.

• Identify space that can be used to separate sick people (if possible).

• Plan ways to increase space between people to at least 3 feet or limit face-to-face contact between workers and those who come to the workplace.

• Develop a risk-assessment and risk-management process for your workplace.

• Review your process for planning workplace events.

• Plan ways to continue essential services if on-site operations are reduced temporarily.

• Be familiar with your local board of education’s pandemic flu plans.

• Small Workplaces: Determine if social media would be a helpful tool to increase and sustain your business before and during a pandemic. Consider creating a strong social media plan to provide information to customers and help secure online business and revenue in the event your workplace has to temporarily reduce on-site services.

Communicate about pandemic flu and NPIs

• Update your emergency communication plan for distributing timely and accurate information.

• Identify and address potential language, cultural, and disability barriers associated with communicating pandemic flu information to workers and customers.

Get input and support for your emergency operations and communication plans

• Share your plans with workers, suppliers, and key community partners and stakeholders.

• Test and update your plans every 12–18 months, or as aspects of your workplace change.