FLU WARNING FOR QUEENSLAND WORKPLACES
Published Friday, 24 August, 2007 at 11:12 AM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel today reminded Queensland employers to adopt preventative Workplace Health & Safety precautions to promote the control of flu in the workplace or suffer the consequences of lost productivity from a sick workforce.
The warning follows a spike in serious cases during Queensland’s worst flu season in six years with reports of many workplaces suffering staff shortages as workers succumb.
Mr Mickel said it is estimated more than one million working days are lost in Australia each year to the flu with up to 10 per cent of staff becoming ill annually.
“Influenza is a debilitating viral illness and is contagious even before symptoms appear,” he said
“People with serious colds and the flu should consider fellow workers and stay away until they are cleared by a doctor in an effort to avoid the spread of germs in the workplace.
“If employees are ill in the workplace, employers should encourage them stay at home until the infection subsides.
“Alternatively employees should consider cancelling face to face meetings and encourage non-contact methods of communicating such as teleconferences until they are no longer contagious.
“It makes good business sense to ensure employees are in good health in the workplace especially when it comes to highly contagious forms of the flu.
“Productivity losses can be multiplied if staff pass on the flu virus and infect large numbers of employees instead of taking time to recover at home.”
“Employers should be aware of the dangers of serious influenza on the workforce,” he said.
Mr Mickel advised employers to consider a flu vaccination program for employees in the lead up to the next flu season to reduce sick-leave and absenteeism.
“Being vaccinated at the beginning of the season gives the best chance of not catching the flu – and not passing it on. It is the most effective way to prevent flu infection at the beginning of the season,” Mr Mickel said.
“It is in the interest of workers' health and welfare limiting disruption to staff performance and productivity and also returns a potential cost saving to the organisation and to customers and clients."
Self preventative measures include:
• use tissues if blowing your nose, rather than handkerchiefs, and
dispose of them in a plastic lined bin
• wash your hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose,
after coming in contact with someone who has the flu, and before eating and drinking or before touching your eyes, nose and mouth - if running water and soap are not convenient, use a waterless alcohol-based hand cleaner
• keep your distance from others (at least one metre) if you are
coughing or sneezing
• if you have respiratory symptoms stay at home until you are better, especially if you have a fever
• clean surfaces that have been contaminated by sneezing, coughing
or touching with contaminated hands - use an alcohol based cleaner, then wash your hands
• drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated
The warning follows a spike in serious cases during Queensland’s worst flu season in six years with reports of many workplaces suffering staff shortages as workers succumb.
Mr Mickel said it is estimated more than one million working days are lost in Australia each year to the flu with up to 10 per cent of staff becoming ill annually.
“Influenza is a debilitating viral illness and is contagious even before symptoms appear,” he said
“People with serious colds and the flu should consider fellow workers and stay away until they are cleared by a doctor in an effort to avoid the spread of germs in the workplace.
“If employees are ill in the workplace, employers should encourage them stay at home until the infection subsides.
“Alternatively employees should consider cancelling face to face meetings and encourage non-contact methods of communicating such as teleconferences until they are no longer contagious.
“It makes good business sense to ensure employees are in good health in the workplace especially when it comes to highly contagious forms of the flu.
“Productivity losses can be multiplied if staff pass on the flu virus and infect large numbers of employees instead of taking time to recover at home.”
“Employers should be aware of the dangers of serious influenza on the workforce,” he said.
Mr Mickel advised employers to consider a flu vaccination program for employees in the lead up to the next flu season to reduce sick-leave and absenteeism.
“Being vaccinated at the beginning of the season gives the best chance of not catching the flu – and not passing it on. It is the most effective way to prevent flu infection at the beginning of the season,” Mr Mickel said.
“It is in the interest of workers' health and welfare limiting disruption to staff performance and productivity and also returns a potential cost saving to the organisation and to customers and clients."
Self preventative measures include:
• use tissues if blowing your nose, rather than handkerchiefs, and
dispose of them in a plastic lined bin
• wash your hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose,
after coming in contact with someone who has the flu, and before eating and drinking or before touching your eyes, nose and mouth - if running water and soap are not convenient, use a waterless alcohol-based hand cleaner
• keep your distance from others (at least one metre) if you are
coughing or sneezing
• if you have respiratory symptoms stay at home until you are better, especially if you have a fever
• clean surfaces that have been contaminated by sneezing, coughing
or touching with contaminated hands - use an alcohol based cleaner, then wash your hands
• drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated