South: Penningtons warns on swine flu
UK businesses should implement internal emergency policies that minimise the risk of swine flu spreading amongst their staff as Health Protection Agency officials warn that more cases of the virus are expected in this country.
With two cases of the disease already diagnosed in Scotland, and following confirmation from the World Health Organisation that the recent outbreak in Mexico has the potential to trigger an influenza pandemic, employers should be examining the measures that they can take to protect their workforce immediately - or risk being prosecuted for negligence.
Travel restrictions should now be considered at both a company and an indivdual level according to Mike Cole, who heads the employment team at the Godalming office of London and South East law firm Penningtons Solicitors LLP.
Cole explained: "All organisations have an obligation to protect the health and safety of their employees and should therefore be taking steps now to minimise the potential risk of cross-contamination if a member of staff with H1N1 comes into the office. If there were to be an outbreak, with several employees coming down with the illness, they could be liable to Health & Safety Executive prosecution and substantial fines. There is also a possibility that employees who contracted the illness as a result of another member of staff returning from Mexico, could issue a civil claim against their employer for compensation."
Cole advises businesses to introduce travel restrictions at both a company and individual level. Any employees who have travelled to Mexico should be asked to work from home for seven days after their return, regardless of whether they display symptoms of the swine flu virus. Staff should consider avoiding any future business trips or holidays to Mexico at the present time.
He concluded: "All companies should set in place business contingencies for a pandemic scenario bearing in mind the serious warnings that are being issued by governments worldwide."
