Pandemic Flu - Work place/Business guidance

The Cabinet Office has published introductory material on pandemic influenza for businesses and other organisations to use, should they so wish, as basis of advice to their staff during the current pandemic alert period WHO Phase 3 to raise awareness about pandemic influenza. Publication does not mean either an increase in the risk of a pandemic emerging or that a pandemic is necessarily imminent. It is part of Cabinet Office's ongoing work to ensure that businesses and other organisations have appropriate advice to help them plan.

The Cabinet Office has published a Pandemic Flu Checklist for Businesses to assist in developing and reviewing plans. It identifies important and specific activities which organisations can do to prepare for a pandemic.

In addition to the checklist, businesses should also refer to the document Guidance: Contingency Planning for a Possible Influenza Pandemic An updated version of the guidance was published in July 2006.

The Department of Health has published Guidance for Businesses - risk assessment in the occupational setting [PDF 27 pages, 531KB] to raise an awareness of measures that may be employed to reduce the spread of the flu virus in the workplace.

• Pandemic flu workplace guidance. [external website] Health and Safety Executive.
• Advice on working with influenza viruses. [external website] Health and Safety Executive.