Course Overview

Swine Flu & You is a 20 minute course that provides employees with information on what swine flu is, how it spreads and what they can do to protect themselves. It is designed to support and compliment an organisation's efforts to implement sensible control measures in preparation for the possible accelerated spread of the virus in the autumn and winter.

The course is easily customisable to allow organisations to add any specific policies and procedures they wish to communicate to employees to cope with possible business disruption as a result of an increase in the spread of the virus. For example, companies may have systems in place which allows employees to continue working from home or may wish to implement policies which encourage employees to switch the need for face-to-face meetings and instead use the phone or web-conferencing facilities. Companies may also wish to reiterate their sick leave policies and policy on attendance by employees who are displaying symptoms.

Target Audience

All employees including management and contract staff.

Course Objectives

In this training course employees will learn:

• What is swine flu?
• How swine flu spreads
• The symptoms of swine flu
• How to protect themselves from infection
• Where to access the latest information on swine flu

Benefits to your Organisation

As with all Health and Safety matters, the recent swine flu pandemic places a 'duty of care' on employers to protect the health and safety of employees. The Health and Safety Executive has issued general guidance for employers stating that employers must act by adopting basic precautionary measures in the workplace even if they perceive the risks that swine flu poses to their particular organisation are very low.

The Health and Safety Executive recommend that on a general prevention level, employers should ensure that employees practice good personal hygiene, use a disposable tissue for coughing and sneezing and wash their hands afterwards. The swine flu course reinforces these basic principles of control and prevention and demonstrates your 'duty of care' to employees in this matter.

The online course also allows organisations to communicate key messages and specific company policies to staff without the need for people to assemble in groups thus reducing the risk of cross infection.