What can I realistically do to protect myself / my staff from the H1N1 virus at work?
- First, take the time to look at your workplace and think about where the risks of exposure are and to whom. Here is an easy tool to use (an H1N1 Preparedness Assessment form).
- The three most important forms of protection are:
- Cough Etiquette—which means turning away and coughing into one's sleeve (not hands).
- Frequent and thorough hand washing with soap and warm water (and using hand sanitizer with 60% – 90% alcohol content when hand washing is not readily available, such as for a cashier on duty). The key here is that we may, without thinking, touch the areas around our mouth, eyes or nose after handling something (money, a door handle, etc) that has the virus on it.
- Social Distancing—this means keeping a physical distance of 2 metres or more from infected people. The virus is transmitted through moisture, and an infected person could infect others through coughs or sneezes if they are within 2 metres of each other.
- Where social distancing is not possible (such as for some cashiers where infected persons may go to buy medicine, etc.), it may be possible to add protection through one of 3 methods:
- Provide signs that remind people to cough into their sleeves (not into the air or their hands). If infected people cooperate with this, social distancing is not necessary.
- Provide surgical masks at the entrance door for people who believe they may be infected. This will help to prevent any virus-infected moisture from being projected towards others.
- Provide N95 (or better) disposable masks to workers who may come into close contact with infected persons. Bear in mind the limitations of this option:
- These masks are disposable and must not be reused after taking them off;
- Workers need proper training in fitting and removing these masks or they will not be effective;
- The masks will not be effective on people with facial hair.
- If a worker who has higher health risks due to other conditions (such as diabetes) may be exposed to infected persons on the job, consider temporarily moving them to duties away from such exposure.
Finally, keep in mind that this is just a flu season—not the onset of a plague.
Yukon Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board
