Influenza Pandemic Business Continuity Guide

The Australian Government released a Influenza Pandemic Business Continuity Guide for Australian Businesses in July 2006. This is available as a 340 KByte, 68 page PDF file. Unfortunately the document is not available as an easy to read and download web pages. It suggests use the telephone, video conferencing and the internet to conduct business as as a way to avoid meeting people face to face, even when participants are in the same building. However, it points out that demand for services may be impacted by a pandemic, for example demand for internet access may increase. It suggests checking the business has an adequate infrastructure, including computer networks and internet presence.

Unfortunately the guide does not explicitly mention teleworking as a strategy, even though the same government department which produced the guide also funds Telework Australia to promote online working.

Also available is an Influenza Pandemic Kit for Small Businesses withm materials both as web pages and downloadable in PDF:

1. Booklet: Being prepared for an influenza pandemic:
   1. Help Protect Your Staff And Customers From Getting Sick
   2. Plan Now To Keep Your Business In Business
   3. Ten Steps You Can Take To Be Better Prepared For A Pandemic
   4. What Is A Human Influenza Pandemic?
   5. Where Can I Find More Information?
2. Reference sheets
1. Pandemic Phases
2. Workplace Cleaning Products
3. What if employees become ill at work during a pandemic?
4. Pandemic planning checklist for small businesses
3. Health posters:
1. COUGH ETIQUETTE AND RESPIRATORY HYGIENE
2. HOW TO CLEAN HANDS USING AN ALCOHOL-BASED LIQUID OR HAND RUB
3. HOW TO FIT AND REMOVE A P2 RESPIRATOR
4. HOW TO FIT AND REMOVE A PROTECTIVE GOWN
5. HOW TO FIT AND REMOVE A SURGICAL MASK
6. HOW TO FIT AND REMOVE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT IN THE CORRECT ORDER
   
7. HOW TO FIT AND REMOVE PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR
8. HOW TO FIT AND REMOVE PROTECTIVE GLOVES
9. HOW TO WASH AND DRY HANDS
10. STAFF INFLUENZA NOTICE
11. TRAVEL HEALTH

Table of Contents
1. Introduction and purpose of this guide 1
2. What is avian influenza and pandemic influenza? 3
H5N1 (avian influenza or bird flu) 4
Human Influenza 5
Prevention and Treatment 6
3. What is the Government doing? 9
Government Support 10
Australian Health Management Plan 10
Containment 12
Maintaining society’s functions 13
National Action Plan for Human Influenza Pandemic 13
State and territory government activities 13
4. How might pandemic influenza affect my business? 15
Characteristics of a pandemic 16
Staff absenteeism 16
Other immediate effects 17
Financial implications 17
5. How can I minimise the impact of a pandemic on my business? 21
Preparation 22
Business continuity planning 23
Step 1: Identify your business’ core people and skills 23
Step 2: Establish a pandemic planning team 23
Step 3: Plan for staff absences 24
Step 4: Consider the effects of supply shortages on operations 25
Step 5: Establish and maintain two-way communication 25
Step 6: Consider human resource issues 26
Step 7: Test your plan and know when to activate it 29
6. How can we help protect staff from getting sick? 31
Basic precautions 32
Practice good personal hygiene 32
Workplace cleaning 33
Air conditioning 34
Personal protective equipment 35
Social distancing—reducing contact with others 35
Restricting staff travel 36
Restricting workplace entry 37
Annual influenza injections 37
Screening workers and managing staff who become ill at work 37
iv
7. How do I manage my customers and stakeholders? 39
Communication 40
Duty of care to your customers 40
8. What other tools are available? (Appendices A–D) 41
Online Resources 42
Hotline 42
A. Pandemic planning checklist 43
B. Planning scenarios 50
C. Background on previous pandemics 54
D. Frequently Asked Questions 56
Health information posters are located inside the back pocket of this guide

From: Influenza Pandemic Business Continuity Guide for Australian Businesses, Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, July 2006