PREPARING FOR H1N1: Workplaces prepare for battle against H1N1 virus

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For a dozen years now, people have plucked silver linings from the great, dark cloud that was the Red River Flood of 1997.

It brought neighbors together. It showed families what really mattered.

Here’s a new one: The flood may have helped to prepare people and local businesses for the soon-to-crest H1N1 flu.

“With the flood, we learned how important it was to maintain good communications with our employees and customers,” said Bonnie Upham of Alerus Financial in Grand Forks. “We learned how important documentation was, and to make that available electronically.”

Teresa Wasvick, human resources director for the company, said the greatest benefit may have been a heightened level of confidence.

“At this stage, we feel we’re very well-prepared to handle what’s expected now (with H1N1), and we’re prepared to adjust our response if it becomes more serious,” she said.

“We’re very proud of our response after the flood, of doing everything we needed to do to help our people and our customers get through that.”

On the front lines

Reducing the spread of the H1N1 virus through broad vaccination, infection control, social distancing and other measures is a front-line defense, and businesses with many employees working closely together and interacting with the public — such as banks and other financial institutions — are important outposts.

The North Dakota Department of Health has scheduled a videoconference on H1N1 preparedness for businesses on Friday morning (access information is at www.ndhealth.gov).

“This flu season will present many challenges,” said Terry Dwelle, state health officer. “While no one can predict how severe the H1N1 novel strain will be, planning now is vital in order to be prepared for different scenarios.

“In a severe pandemic, businesses will lose a big portion of their workforce as one in four employees will become ill and other workers will have to stay home to care for sick family members, or to stay home with their children if schools are closed.”

The Grand Forks Health Department and North Dakota State University’s Emergency Management Program last month produced a “quick start guide” on pandemic planning for businesses, with advice on identifying critical functions, cross-training employees and other practices. The U.S. Small Business Administration has guidelines aimed especially at small businesses, available at www.sba.gov/flu.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has produced a guide for business, available at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business/guidance.

“Regardless of the size of the business or the function or services that you provide, all employers should plan now to allow and encourage sick workers to stay home without fear of losing their jobs,” the guidance document states.

The CDC guide also encourages businesses to share best practices with other businesses, chambers of commerce and other associations to improve the overall community response to the flu.

Flexible schedules

With 425 employees, including about 200 at four Grand Forks locations, Alerus Financial brought public health officials in last week to review the company’s existing disaster plan with an eye toward minimizing the impact of a local H1N1 outbreak.

Some highlights of the Alerus Financial plan:

- Encourage employees to get vaccinated for both seasonal flu and H1N1 flu, and continue to arrange on-site flu vaccination clinics.

- Provide employees with information on best practices for flu prevention.

- Make hand sanitizer widely available in all facilities, and use sanitizing wipes on computer keyboards, telephones, counters and other shared equipment and spaces.

- Stock gloves and masks in case the outbreak becomes severe, encourage use of technology allowing customers to make transactions electronically, and use telecommuting, flex schedules and other means to limit contact among employees and with customers.

The company’s plan also anticipates enhanced overall cleaning and sanitizing of facilities, Alerus security officer Rob Podell said.

Employees have been asked to stay home if they have flu-like symptoms, and supervisors have been instructed to send sick employees home. Personnel and processes critical to keeping the business running are to be identified, and employees are encouraged to develop a “family plan” regarding such matters as care of sick children and having adequate health and other supplies on hand.

“We’ve taken some initial steps in the first phase of the plan, communicating with our employees on preventive habits,” Upham said. “Hand sanitizers are available, and we’ve encouraged employees to use them.

“It’s been standard practice for us to look at business continuity, to identify critical procedures, have backup in critical positions and get people cross-trained. We’re also lucky that we’ve had a disaster recovery team that’s been stable in its membership over the years.”

Alerus Financial “has a number of employees who can work remotely from home,” Wasvick said. The company also is “prepared to look at sick leave policies” to see they don’t encourage employees to report for work even if they’re sick.

“Those policies are pretty good for now, but they could be adjusted if needed,” she said.

Reach Haga at (701) 780-1102; (800) 477-6572, ext. 102; or send e-mail to chaga@gfherald.com.

Tags: local news, local business, h1n1 flu, public health, alerus financial, preparing for h1n1, cdc, sba, health