Solid Height - Spring Manufacturers Institute

course, buildings and computers are not vulnerable;
people are. Steps must be taken to protect them.
Foote points to some aspects of his own operations
that may help, at least to some extent. First, everyone
at the company has health insurance, so anyone
who does get the flu will be able to obtain the treatment
required to get them back to work as soon as
possible. Second, the company has long been accustomed
to its workers taking four- or five-week breaks
to visit their home countries. While such breaks are
much more controllable events than the unexpected
results of disaster, at least the company has learned
to cope when individuals are absent.
Cross Train Workers
Scandic has always placed a high emphasis on
cross training. “There is virtually nothing here that
only one person can do, including my own position,”
says Foote. “If employee A has to stay home because
of the flu, then Employee B can pick up the slack.”
Cross training may well make a significant difference
if a work force is hit with the flu. Of course,
saying’s easier than doing. While most companies
have some level of cross training
in place, developing a formal
program can be difficult. Many
times, employers face resistance
from workers looking to protect
their personal turf. People want
to retain their unique skills
that help guarantee their jobs.
One solution to such workplace
resistance, offers Foote, is to
emphasize employee self-interest. Cross training
is an easier sell if you can say, “This will help the
company survive and preserve your job if and when
disaster strikes.”
Arrange for Emergency Production
One more thing: Scandic took the additional
step of establishing reciprocal manufacturing agreements
with two other companies that run equipment
similar to its own. “With each of these companies
we have established written, non-binding letters of
intent that, should either of us experience a business
interruption, the other company stands ready
to receive our hard tooling and do their best to help
us satisfy customer demands.” Foote acknowledges
that if his manufacturing were interrupted it would
be difficult to resume operations very easily at
another plant. “But at least for certain hard-tooled
jobs, we would have a head start on supplying
our customers.” While reciprocal arrangements
can help reduce the deleterious effects of many
disasters, Foote questions if they will really make a
difference in the event of a flu pandemic. He notes
46 SPRINGS July 2006
that in previous pandemics the virus traveled very
quickly. Regional expansion of the flu would likely
be all the faster today, given the number of people
hopping on airplanes around the world. As a result,
if the flu hits your own manufacturing plant, there
is a good chance that it will also hit the plant of the
company with which you have arranged a reciprocal
relationship.
Talk with Officials
Because the H5N1 virus is undergoing mutations,
and virus behavior varies by form, developing
a workable response to a pandemic is more a work
in progress than a cut-and-dried affair. Many commonly
considered steps, such as the wearing of face
masks, may or not may not help prevent the spread
of the disease.
Given the nature of this moving target, the best
you can do is monitor announcements about the
advance of the virus and respond responsibly to
recommendations. One excellent resource is the
federal government’s official Web site for information
at www.pandemicflu.gov. Click on the “business”
tab and then on the hyperlink for
Given the nature of this the “Business Pandemic Influenza
Planning Checklist,” which provides
steps you can take to limit
the damage of an outbreak.
Be sure to stay in touch with
your local health officials. One
company that has done so is MW
Industries Inc. Starting late last
year, representatives of the major
divisions of the company’s 12 plant facilities began
to engage in discussions with their state and county
health authorities concerning government policies
and planned reactions should a flu pandemic occur.
Topics covered included availability and distribution
of flu vaccines, the need for early diagnosis of
individuals who become sick, and the possibility of
the need to impose quarantines.
Efficient access to medicine is especially important
in containing the spread of the disease. “Our
first line of defense is working with local health officials
in coordinating the distribution of vaccine,”
says Daniel R. Sebastian, MW president and CEO.
“Hopefully, researchers will find a vaccine in a timely
fashion to mute the damage.”
While no one can specify with any accuracy the
social and financial impact of a flu pandemic, prudent
businesspeople will keep an eye on the news
and develop appropriate recovery procedures. Suggests
the CDC’s Rutz: “Keep yourself aware as to
what is happening with the strain so that if a pandemic
occurs you can maintain some order in your
workplace.” v
moving target, the best you
can do is monitor announcements
about the advance of
the virus and respond responsibly
to recommendations.