wellness in the workplace

Wellness in the Workplace

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Introduction

This presentation covers issues and procedures in maintaining a healthy workplace and can be used for all employees.

This is a sample presentation that must be customized to include and match the employer’s own policies and practices.

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Why is preventing contagious illnesses important at work?

• Sickness means you and others can be affected • Lost productivity at work

• Creates stress and concern among employees

• Sick employees can transfer the virus to others (i.e., family, co-workers)

• Persons who are ill may suffer complications that lead to more serious health problems

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What can we do to reduce the spread of illness?

• Live a healthy lifestyle• Follow the recommendations of health care professionals• Pay attention to good hygiene habits• Use common sense in crowded conditions• Take special care when traveling• Get medical treatment when you are sick

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Maintain a healthy immune system

Take good care of yourself:

• Exercise regularly• Get adequate sleep• Eat balanced meals• Manage your daily stress level

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Follow the advice of health care professionals to prevent illness

• Get your flu vaccine!

• Limit exposure to people who are sick, and wash hands often

• Educate yourself about illnesses and how to mitigate risk to disease exposure

• Check reliable health sources

• www.who.int/en• www.cdc.gov

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Good personal hygiene habits

• Keep household and work surfaces clean with disinfectant solution including:

• Countertops• Bathroom sinks• Cell phones• Telephone handsets• TV remote controls• Computer keyboards

• Avoid sharing towels, telephones or other common utensils with others

• Consume only thoroughly cooked food including eggs, meat, poultry

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Social Distancing

Social distancing is designed to minimize the kind of social contact that enables virus transmission from others. It is a good practice to set boundaries for your physical distance from others in business and social settings.

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Be courteous to others

When coughing or sneezing:

• Cover your mouth and nose• Face away from others

Photo Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Cover and clean up!

• Use tissues when coughing or sneezing• Then place used tissues into the trash

Courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Germs hang around!

• Remember tiny infectious droplets can remain airborne, in some cases for hours

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Stop germs

Wash your hands

• After you cough or sneeze• After using the bathroom• Before you eat food• After visiting public places• Before you touch your eyes,

mouth or nose

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Effective hand washing method

• Wash fingers, palms and back of both hands with soap and warm water for at least 10 seconds

• Alcohol-based disinfectant hand sanitizer

• Use disposable towels for drying hands

• Cover hands with a towel before touching door handles and fixtures after washing

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Don’t Bring Anything Home!

• Travel with a health kit• For information see the Centers for Disease Control

Travel Kit www.cdc.gov

• Travel with alcohol-based disinfectant or hand sanitizer• Clean hands often• Consume only thoroughly cooked foods• Drink bottled water• Monitor your health for at least 10 days after you return• If you become ill with fever or respiratory symptoms, consult

a physician

When traveling….

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In general, get medical care

• If you become ill with fever or respiratory symptoms, consult a physician right away…Don’t wait until it gets worse!

• If diagnosed with influenza…Don’t go to work while you are sick!

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Preparation at home

• Teach your family good hygiene:> Instruct them on taking time to wash hands thoroughly> Make sure you have available soap and/or hand sanitizer> Stock up on tissues and paper towels

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Preparation at home

• Post a family contact list with:> Work and school phone numbers> Doctor’s phone numbers for each family member> Emergency services and hospitals

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Preparation at home

• Have an emergency kit with:> Water, food, a first aid kit, clothing, bedding, tools, supplies and

special items (e.g., medicine, cash) > Items you would need in case of an evacuation should be kept in

an easy-to-carry container

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Preparation at home

• Keep in touch by:> Watching TV> Listening to the radio> Checking the Internet often for official news and information as it

becomes available

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Historical flu/illness reflection

• 1918 Spanish Flu: 675,000 people died in the US, many of pneumonia

• 1957-58 Asian Flu: 70,000 people died in the US

• 1968-69 Hong Kong Flu: 34,000 people died in the US

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What is the flu?

• Flu is caused by a virus • Viruses can not be “cured” with antibiotics • When people get viruses, they often get “secondary

infections” like pneumonia, which can be very serious• Vaccines can stop people from getting a bad case of a virus• Vaccines can only be created when a virus has been

“identified”• Viruses change or mutate which makes the development of a

vaccine a challenge

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The ABC’s of flu

• Influenza A Has many hosts – especially wild birds – sometimes called bird or avian, could cause a pandemic (world wide illness)

• Influenza BOnly makes humans sick, some epidemics, no pandemics

• Influenza C Mild illness, no epidemics

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Why is it called “bird flu?”

• Most flu viruses come from birds

• Practice good hygiene precautions at all times, but especially when around birds

• Wash hands after touching areas that might have bird feces

• Exercise caution when disposing of dead birds

• Notify authorities if you observe a large number of “sick” birds

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Wellness

• Staying healthy is a desired goal for organizations and their employees

• Understanding communicable disease can avoid fears (i.e., “bird flu”, HIV/Aids, Hepatitis)

• Keeping healthy is everyone’s job

• Being proactive can assist in mitigating the spread of certain diseases

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Exercise good wellness habits

• No one can prevent the spread of all disease

• Common sense and exercising good health habits can mitigate certain risks

• We are all responsible for doing our part

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Course Evaluation

Please be sure to complete and leave the evaluation sheet you received with your handouts.

Thank you for your attention and interest!

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We would like to acknowledge that the preceding presentation was prepared by the Employee Health, Safety & Security, and the

Employee Relations Special Expertise Panels.

Questions? Comments?