Put Plans in Place for Flu Outbreaks, Pandemics

During the winter months, employee absenteeism escalates when the influenza virus strikes. Costs can reach as much as $700 per worker for unplanned absences during an average flu season.
This season could be especially costly for organizations as experts warn of a possible Avian flu outbreak. This flu is often referred to as the ‘bird’ flu, since it is spread from contaminated poultry. The Avian flu has resulted in the deaths of 80 people in Asia and has been detected in more than 12 countries. Though human-to-human transfer has not occurred at this point, experts say the virus could mutate and spread rapidly, causing a pandemic.
Is your organization prepared for a pandemic? Even if the Avian flu never causes widespread human infection, other viruses and diseases are on the horizon. According to Dr. Julie Gerberding of the Centers for Disease Control, the world has “never been closer to a pandemic”.
The CDC predicts that as many as 25 to 30 percent of the U.S. population could be affected if an Avian flu pandemic occurs. Companies should plan for prolonged absenteeism of as much as 30 percent of their workforce, translating into financial losses of more than $160 billion.
A pandemic could also affect international and local travel; health systems, schools and daycare providers, tourism industries, and industry supply chains.
Plans made for future pandemics will not only save lives and dollars, but can also help organizations prepare for other medical emergencies, such as natural disasters, bioterrorism or nuclear events.
When preparing for a pandemic, planners should consider the following points:

• Conduct a business impact analysis to identify the most essential functions and personnel positions.
• Put plans in place for workers to telecommute. This eliminates the need for travel and limits potential exposure to the virus. Necessary components and infrastructure should be planned in advance.
• Examine the company’s absentee policy to make allowances for employees to miss work when they are ill.
• Provide cross-training for all positions, especially those that are critical for day-to-day operations.
• Designate alternate leaders for all crisis and response teams.
• Coordinate your plans with local response teams and health organizations. Work with your suppliers and partners to produce compatible response and recovery plans.
• Have plans in place for effective communications with employees and customers who may be out ill or who are unable to travel to the workplace because of transportation interruptions.
• Do not wait for an outbreak to occur. Put your plans in place early and review them often.

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Winter 2006 - Cover Article

Fire and Fury

Exploding Gas Cannisters, Fire Put Neighborhood, Businesses on Alert

By Jon Seals

With massive detonations and bombarding gas canisters seemingly targeting people, businesses, and historic 19th century homes, the range of reactions during the June 24 Praxair fire and explosions in downtown St. Louis was vast.
Some wanted to take a look. Some feared for their lives. Some simply went into action.
“It was one of the largest industrial accidents I’ve seen, and there were very few injuries and no fatalities,” Gary Christmann, the city’s chief of emergency management, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “There was a lot of planning and training on the part of Praxair and the first responders (St. Louis firefighters).”
The three-alarm blaze began around 3 p.m. at Praxair Distribution, Inc., a gas and tank company located near the city’s historic Lafayette Square. A quick-witted forklift operator spotted the fire and ran around the facility, alerting everyone this was not a drill.
With flammable gases like propane and oxygen stored on site, all 22 Praxair employees and two customers onsite were evacuated to safety in less than 90 seconds.
The ensuing fire and explosions were of almost war-like proportions. Hundreds of gas-filled cylinders – used for everything from welding to medical procedures – started exploding and shooting in all directions with fire and fury.
St. Louis Alderman Lewis Reed told the Post-Dispatch, “Debris was just zooming across the sky. I have never, ever seen anything like that in my life ... boom, boom, boom!”
It took a while for residents and employees at nearby businesses to realize what was going on. Some feared terrorist activity. One city official told the story of a man crying, telling his wife goodbye in case he never saw her again.

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Additional Articles Found in Winter 2006 Issue of DRJ

• Bioterrorism: What is it? What Can Be Done to Prepare?
• Proactive Security in the World of Terrorism
• Fire & Fury
• How Well Does Your Business Know its Neighbors?
• Recovering More Than Just a Business
• The Next Crisis Facing Small Business
• Web-Based BCP Software-as-Service
• CERT: Protecting the Home Front
• When Disaster Strikes
• Beyond Data Backup: Contingency Workspace
• ‘All Circuits Are Busy Now’
• How Effective is Your Response Plan?
• Improving Bluetooth Security
• The Need to Characterize Requirements
• BC Training For All Levels of an Organization
• Mitigating Risk to Excel
• Data Forensics in Risk Management, Incident Response
• FICON and Mainframe Disaster Recovery Insourcing
• Avoiding Big Risks for Mid-Sized Businesses
• Even SMBs, Remote Offices Can Survive
• 2006 Consultant Survey (PDF)

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