HEALTH INCIDENT PLANNING Infectious Disease and the Workplace - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

HEALTH INCIDENT PLANNING Infectious Disease and the Workplace Presenter: Dr Andrew Ebringer, International SOS AAMIG Member Seminar Minespace, 2 nd July 2015

Africa Health Risk Map 2015 Medical Care Disease Risk Food & Water Quality Risk of Malaria Risk of Rabies Vaccinations 2 2 2 2 2

Risk of medical evacuation for international assignees and travellers is 20 times greater in High Risk countries 1 Medical evacuation likelihood by country risk rating 1 Source: JOEM _ Volume 54, Number 9, September 2012. Myles Druckman, MD, Philip Harber, MD, MPH, Yihang Liu, MD, MS, MA, and Robert L. Quigley, MD, DPhil, Results from International SOS medical evacuation activity from 50 companies based on 94,561 International Assignees located in 181 countries and 8,727,361 International Trips to 214 countries in 2009 3 3 3 3 3

Australasia AC Data : Evacuation Causes Combined PNG Africa % 35 Top 5 causes account for 30 80% of all causes for evacuation 25 20 15 10 5 0 4 4 4 4 4

Infective causes of air evacuation by International SOS 70 54% of evacuations relate to malaria, a largely preventable 60 disease in these populations 50 40 Combined % PNG 30 Africa 20 10 0 Malaria PUO Meningitis Dengue TB Hepatitis Cellulitis 5

Key Diseases

Key Diseases - Workplace Person-to Water/ food Mosquitoes Person -borne Flu Cholera Malaria • Some are vaccine preventable • Many occur in Australia Measles Typhoid Dengue Some are new ‘emerging’ threats • • Mosquito-borne diseases cannot be Chickenpox Hep A Yellow Fever transmitted person to person, however vector-control programmes can reduce Mumps Norovirus Chikungunya prevalence in the workplace Meningitis Can all be transmitted Ebola person-to- person TB Bed Bugs 7 7

Emerging Threats Common requests for assistance with workplace incidents for which there is no vaccine • Tuberculosis • Bed bugs • Gastroenteritis – Norovirus Emerging threats which increase client concern, even if no incident has occurred • Ebola • Bird flu • MERS-CoV Question: How many of you created or amended procedures due to Ebola? 8 8

Infectious disease in the workplace

Infectious Disease – Workplace Impact Poor management of an outbreak can lead to: • Poor clinical outcomes • Employee anxiety / lack of corporate confidence • Reduced business productivity • Business disruption and financial losses • Liability & reputational losses Best practice • Crisis plans for earthquakes, floods etc • Influenza pandemic planning now a standard • Need an infectious disease plan as part of crisis management plans 10

Case Study : Mine Site Norovirus Outbreak

Gastroenteritis / Norovirus • Very common outbreaks • Highly contagious • Person-to-person • Contaminated food or water • From surfaces • Hardy • Symptoms: sudden onset of nausea, violent vomiting, diarrhoea, aches and fever • Usually clears when well hydrated and rested • Prevention = good personal hygiene

Project site with 2,000 employees • Dec 5 - Employee arrives on site from Dubai • Dec 6 - He develops sudden vomiting and diarrhoea • Dec 7 – 2 people develop same illness • Dec 8 – 1 more case • Dec 9 – 9 new cases • Dec 17 – Final case #42. Took 12 days to eliminate

Site management of outbreak • Isolation • Room review • Deep cleaning - toilet blocks/accommodation • Laundry segregation • Dining facilities • Enhanced personal hygiene

Washing hands Use soap: Using water alone does not remove soil and grease which can trap unseen germs and viruses. Wash your hands for at least 15-20 seconds using the following steps. Total duration of the entire procedure is 40-60 seconds.

Site management of outbreak • Awareness – emails and toolbox talks • Daily briefings - senior managers • Daily team meetings - facility managers • Reporting to all stakeholders on site and externally

Outbreak Plan : Procedures 1 2 1 1. Screening and PPE 2 2. Isolation / Quarantine 6 3 3. Cleaning 3 4. Food handling 5 5. Health authorities are notified 4 4 6. Prevention 17 17

How to prepare for an health incident

Compliance Environment : Legislative Framework • Obligations on employers to take reasonably practicable steps to minimise the threats identified and reduce the risk of injury or other harm to those who work for them • WH&S Laws are criminal in nature. Penalties may apply to any PCBU: Company Director, white van tradesman, workers in a practice – Not tested in law yet – Consideration - justification vs. cost (unjustifiable hardship) – Cannot ‘contract off’ legal obligations – Requirement for threat assessments to be conducted prior to work commencing – Judged against peers 19 19

Components of Effective Disease Management 1. Disease dependent procedures in place 2. Health Incident Plan • In advance • Allows business leaders to systematically manage a health incident • Simultaneously support affected personnel and protect the organisation • Living document : review, update, reflect • Sits within greater framework of business continuity plans 3. Communications should be pre-prepared • To address expected questions • To educate on best practice 20 20

Key Organisation Takeaways Develop an adaptable Corporate Plan to protect employees and business assets, include: 1. Corporate Policies for guidance to business units 2. Practical Action Tables to guide Crisis Management Team/s – scalable to the severity and impact 3. Reference Documents, Procedures, Communication, Posters and Tools for handling the disease 4. Health promotion and screening to maintain optimal health 5. Provide vaccinations for preventable diseases 21 21 21 21 21

Key Traveller Takeaways Wash your hands often Wash Keep your distance from people regularly and properly with who are sick If you have to soap. Carry hand sanitiser attend to someone who is ill, and use it when you can’t wash your hands afterwards wash your hands Cover your cough or sneeze Ensure food is If you are sick, cover your thoroughly cooked, milk cough or sneeze to avoid is pasteurised transferring the virus to others Avoid unnecessary Avoid touching your face exposure to Viruses can transfer from mosquitoes / surfaces to your hands, then animals to your mouth and nose 22 22 22 22 22

Key Contacts International SOS 24/7 Assistance Centre Sydney Ph: +61 2 9372 2468 www.internationalsos.com For more information, please contact: Beth King Business Development Manager (Perth Based) Ph: +61 8 6465 5104 M: +61 447 628 155 E: beth.king@internationalsos.com