It is important to ensure that your organization is prepared for potential threats through pandemic planning. In doing so, the protection of your employees is ensured when a potential threat arises. Pandemics are the spreading of a new disease; without proper planning a pandemic can affect multiple employees and increase safety risks.
In looking at ensuring that an adequate pandemic plan is put in place, it is crucial to first assess your organization’s current capability to address pandemics, current plans and/or procedures in place must be examined. When looking at current plans, procedures and/or policies regarding pandemic planning, evaluate whether there are specifically detailed elements of the plan that cover every aspect of your organization. The more detail oriented your pandemic plan is, the more effective it will be in its usage in the event of an threat outbreak affecting your workplace.
Important details to include within your pandemic plan to ensure the safety of employees include steps addressing the following:
- Roles of leadership during a pandemic
- How employees will be supported during a pandemic
- How information regarding the pandemic will be communicated, including when, how and any other important information
- The type of safety training to be administrated
- Protocols to be followed that foster a safe and healthy work environment
- Alternate places of work if the workplace is not safe to work in during a pandemic
A formal pandemic plan, policy and program should be thoroughly implemented within your organization that is addressed to all employees. In the event of a pandemic, this planning will ensure that proper steps are taken to address the outbreak in an effective manner.
Want to know more? HRA online has a comprehensive discussion on Emergency Preparedness to help you prepare for unforeseen events that may have a high probability of having a negative impact on your business.
You can also obtain sample pandemic policies dealing with business continuity and more in PolicyPro.
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