Minimize disruption to business activities."
The UFCW OSH Office is making the following recommendations for employers in the retail food industry to take, at a minimum, the following steps:
1.Refer to CDC Guidelines and CDCs Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to the 2009-2010 Influenza Season. These are available on the CDC Web site:
www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business/guidance and
www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.
2.Make the flu vaccine available at no cost to employees - and encourage employees to get vaccinated for seasonal flu. With pharmacies located in supermarkets, this can be done with minimal disruption during work hours.
3.Create policies for flexible sick leave, which provides paid time for sick employees to stay home. CDC guidance advises employers to allow employees who get sick at work with the flu to go home as soon as possible, and to advise all employees to stay home if they are sick, until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever or signs of a fever.
4.Provide resources to employees so they can be protected from infection: Provide tissues, no-touch trash cans, alcohol-based hand cleaner at the work station, time to use the restroom to wash hands frequently.
5.Provide cleaning agents to cashiers to clean surfaces which are more likely to have frequent hand contact with the public.
