January 2006 ISSUE
apegga addresses staff implications of pandemic
BY NANCY TOTH, MA, CHRP
APEGGA Manager, Human Resources
APEGGA has initiated planning for the protection
of volunteers, members and staff in the event of an influenza pandemic. The plan
addresses both the preparation and response stages.
To protect volunteers, members and staff alike, group events and some programs will be discontinued to minimize the risk of infection. When possible, teleconference meetings will replace face-to-face meetings. To protect staff, the inter-connectedness of the workplace, the home and movement between the two will be emphasized to maximize strategies for prevention and infection control. Extra precautions will be taken in the office, and employees will be encouraged to exercise the same degree of caution in their homes.
While we are not claiming expertise on the subject of the pandemic, we have familiarized ourselves with the best information available from Capital Health in developing our plan. Copies of the federal and provincial pandemic response plans will be reviewed to assist us in the further development of our strategies.
Although staff will be expected to stay informed as well, we will be updating them frequently should a global pandemic occur.
Ensuring environmental infection control is part of our advance planning, including discussions with the building owners about air exchange, backup systems for heating and lighting etc. In order to ensure that the Association’s work will be uninterrupted, our plan includes patterns of cross-training and the facilitation of staff work at home to balance what could be a 30 per cent absenteeism rate during a pandemic. We will also be curtailing large meetings and public gatherings such as luncheons or seminars and re-deploying staff involved with those activities into areas that are short-staffed due to the pandemic.
We are currently investigating the best supplies for infection control and will be purchasing face masks and other supplies for staff use in the office. We will be encouraging staff to secure these supplies for their homes.
As hand washing has been identified as the single most powerful tool in infection control, APEGGA will be arranging for demonstrations of effective hand washing. Guidelines will be established to prevent people who are ill from coming to work and for people falling ill at work to be taken home.
APEGGA will be encouraging staff to investigate their home environments for infection control and to stock up on a supply of non-perishable food and water, in keeping with the provincial guidelines for an emergency kit. We will encourage those who usually take public transportation to arrange for car pooling. A “buddy system” will be proposed to ensure people who are ill or working at home are informed and have adequate supplies.
Brown-bagger sessions with information and morale boosters will be provided, as will counselling and referral for those who are in need of assistance in dealing with the crisis. A committee will monitor safe transportation for all staff and guidelines for out-of-province travel will be developed in keeping with Capital Health guidelines.
APEGGA will be evaluating the emergency plan on a regular basis and trying to incorporate new information as it becomes available. As our procedures become tested in crisis, we will be identifying best practices and communicating them to members through The PEGG. We have a draft action plan at this stage and plan to proceed with the preparation stage immediately in order to safeguard our staff and our members.
As engineers and geoscientists, members should consider another matter. In a time of crisis, the expertise you each have as professionals may be called upon in managing or restoring essential services – 30 per cent of which could be down due to the illness of staff in those areas. Some members are already talking about acquiring additional training to enhance their value as volunteers in the restoration of essential services.
We would encourage all members to develop a plan within their companies. While the Alberta Government, Capital Health and the City of Edmonton are all providing valuable resources, APEGGA will also be posting a model on our website, which could be used in developing a corporate plan.
This article will be posted on our website and we invite members to check there for updates on a regular basis. For additional assistance or information please contact me, Nancy Toth, Manager, Human Resources, 780-426-3990 or 1-800-661-7020, e-mail ntoth@apega.ca.