Print Waste Company Ready For Flu Emergency
Monday 24th August 2009
With swine flu infection rates already reaching epidemic levels throughout the UK, Dorset-based print waste management company J&G Environmental has drawn up contingency plans to ensure its collection and emergency response service is maintained in the event of a "worst case scenario".
J&G manages the waste of more than 2,000 UK print houses and major newspaper groups, including the regular collection of huge volumes of hazardous waste streams.
The company says that while widespread staff sickness would mean prioritising services, it is confident its contingency planning will enable it to maintain its collection operation and 24-hour hotline service which is available every day of the year to deal with emergencies such as chemical spills.
General manager John Haines said: "Our contingency planning in the face of a flu pandemic aims at ensuring that even in a worse case scenario, when half our workforce is sick, we can always guarantee that waste is not allowed to pile up at customers' premises and that we can continue to deal with any emergency such as a chemical spill.
"We will need to quickly assess priorities, especially when it comes to containment of major spills, and operate a flexible approach to maximise resources, including staff redeployment. Our planning also allows for the rapid recruitment of temporary staff to maintain manning levels."
"Of course, we hope that none of this will be necessary. But our belief is that, like the rest of the country, we should hope for the best but plan for the worst. We're confident the plans we have in place will ensure we can maintain all essential services on behalf of our customers, many of whom rely on us to ensure that on-site waste storage does not become a problem or environmental hazard."
Meanwhile, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has urged all employers to draw up contingency plans based on heavily reduced staffing levels during a flu epidemic, and business continuity experts are reporting that many employers have not prepared for widespread absenteeism.
It is estimated that a third of Britain's businesses have no response plans for dealing with a flu emergency which could see several million people succumbing to seasonal flu or swine flu by the end of the year.
