TenacIT plays a critical role in supporting our community and state infrastructure. There is no room for complacency when it comes to dealing with the H1N1 Swine Flu virus.
TenacIT Pandemic Directive:
- Employees and Contractors who travel by air in the U.S. and Overseas should closely monitor their health for 7 days after returning from their trip. If you become ill with flu-like symptoms, stay home and seek medical attention.
- As a precautionary step, TenacIT will collect information from Employees and Contractors that have traveled outside of the United States. Please be assured that these are precautionary steps with respect to the H1N1 situation. Use the Travel Log Form (located on the Environmental Health and Safety SharePoint site) to submit travel information. If you do not have access to the on-line form, please complete a travel log form at any one of the Security Control Stations.
- All Visitors will be asked if they have traveled outside the United States within the last 3 weeks and if so are required to complete an International Travel Visitors Log.
- Sick Employee or Contractor – With flu-like symptoms including fever or chills and cough or sore throat.
- Any Employee or Contractor should be alert to any signs of fever and any other signs of flu-like illness before reporting to work each day. Notify your TenacIT manager and stay home if ill. An Employee/Contractor who is ill should not travel while ill. The Employee/Contractor with flu-like symptoms and fever should stay home until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen).
- Any Employee or Contractor who become ill with symptoms of a flu-like illness during the workday should notify their TenacIT Manager. The individual will be:
- Separated from other workers and asked to go home promptly.
- If the individual cannot leave promptly and if the individual with flu-like symptoms can tolerate it, they will be given a surgical mask to wear while they wait to go home if they cannot be placed in an area away from others.
- Sick member in your household
- An Employee/Contractor who is well but who have an ill family member at home with flu can go to work as usual. These individuals should monitor their health every day and notify their Manager and stay home if they become ill.
- An Employee/Contractor who needs to stay home to care for an ill family member can work an alternative work schedule with their Manager’s approval if the position allows it. Options include a telecommuting work schedule or flexible hours.
- Casual contact with a sick individual – Any Employee or Contractor who has come in casual contact, including conversation or physical contact, with a sick individual should monitor themselves for symptoms of flu-like illness and stay home if they become sick.
- If schools are closed in our area and you need to stay home with your children, Managers may be able to accommodate Employees by allowing work from home or flexible work times if the position allows. In the event that work cannot be done remotely or at flexible hours, Employees may be required to utilize sick or vacation hours. Please work with your Manager and HR.
- If you have any questions please discuss with your Manager or HR.
Note: There are no restrictions on business or non-essential travel due to the H1N1 flu virus at this time.
Remember: The rule of thumb for flu pandemics is that they will infect one-third to one-half the population; not all at once, but over a span of two years. The typical pattern is intense local epidemics that last 6–8 weeks and then move on, often returning two or three times before the pandemic is over. Before winter arrives, U.S. Officials hope to have a vaccine that they can at least offer to people in high-risk groups.
Being prepared is Key:
- Stay informed by visiting www.flu.gov and the Environmental Health and Safety SharePoint Site
- Review TenacIT Pandemic Plan Overview
Take action to prepare using the Pandemic Planning Checklist for Individuals and Families