Staying safe from swine flu in Staffordshire

MAJOR employers in Staffordshire have quarantined staff and banned travel to Mexico in a bid to prevent potentially damaging disruption from swine flu.

They are also advising employees how to stay safe and fine-tuning procedures aimed at ensuring trade can continue if a pandemic hits their workforce.

A number of staff at Leek building society Britannia were recently advised to stay at home as part of quarantine measures and after returning from Mexico, but they are now back at work.

And at Stoke tyre-maker Michelin, staff have been restricted from travelling to the U.S., Canada and Mexico since April 29.

The actions have only been precautions, and the Staffordshire Civil Contingencies Unit (CCU) – the organisation set up to co-ordinate procedures in the event of a county-wide emergency – says companies are well prepared for an outbreak of swine flu.

Andy Marshall, director of the CCU, said: "The sort of risk that swine flu presents us is something which has been at the front of our thoughts since the Civil Contingencies Act came into force in 2004.

"An awful lot of work has been done, and businesses are well prepared for any eventuality. All our partners in the region have a healthy respect for the changes they may face. And while they are very well prepared, they are also well aware that not every circumstance is the same.

"Businesses have access to a fantastic amount of information and that has been built up by the levels of engagement that the CCU has put in."

Britannia, which employs 2,000 people at its headquarters in Cheadle Road, Leek, said it had been monitoring and following the advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

A spokesman said: "We have not issued specific advice to our people, as advice has already been much publicised by the Government through television advertising and leaflets delivered to every household.

"With regards to people who have visited Mexico recently, we have been following the WHO's advice about appropriate quarantine periods.

"This has affected a number of employees, but they have now returned to work.

"Britannia always has business continuity plans in place, which can be activated quickly, to ensure we can continue to operate in the event of any major event, including a virus outbreak.

"These plans have been reviewed and updated in light of the swine flu outbreak."

Paul Cardle, a spokesman at Michelin, which employs 1,000 workers in Campbell Road, Stoke, said a contagious diseases management plan had been developed over a number of years and was regularly reviewed.

Employees have been advised to stay away from Mexico, Canada and the U.S. He added: "We have issued a reminder of Government advice regarding swine flu to all our employees via our internal communications network."

A spokesman from Stoke-on-Trent City Council – which employs about 12,000 people – said advice on swine flu and other related emergencies is available to all staff and the public via its Stoke Online website.

He said: "All directorates have business continuity plans in place in case of a pandemic, and we work very closely with other agencies, such as health bodies who are leading on this – the PCT and Health Protection Agency – to ensure we are up-to-date with the latest situation."

The spokesman declined to comment on whether any council employees were currently off work with suspected swine flu. But he said there was no need for staff to stay away if they have recently returned from Mexico.

Mobile phone company Vodafone, which employs around 1,400 people across North Staffordshire, said any staff returning from Mexico were being asked to work from home or to stay at home.

How is your business preparing for a pandemic? Email us at businessdesk@thesentinel.co.uk