“As the flu season approaches, many are increasingly concerned about H1N1 in the workplace,” MSHA said.

The agency aimed to put together a one-stop resource for the mining community, including miners, supervisors and family members, to learn about H1N1 and both workplace and home methods to keep from spreading infection.

MSHA, in consultation with Centers for Disease Control and NIOSH, developed mining-specific guidance as on quarterly self-contained self-rescuer training requirements and general prevention issues, especially exposure potential in confined spaces like mantrips, mine elevators and refuge chambers.

Under federal regulation 65.1504(b), all active miners must don and transfer SCSR training units every quarter, which leads to multiple uses of training units between workers. MSHA advises that this training should continue with normal cleaning and disinfection of the equipment.

For everyday tasks, the agency says the industry needs to install policies so sick miners do not report for work and spread either seasonal flu or H1N1 to others. MSHA especially advises mines to encourage vaccination of both employees and families.

“The establishment and implementation of these company policies and communications with personnel on prevention measures will help to minimize the disease transmission risks,” the agency said.

Identification and prevention

Part of the MSHA/NIOSH guidance includes information from NIOSH researcher Renee Funk, who detailed symptoms of the H1N1 virus as well as the recommendations for reducing risk.

She said the symptoms were somewhat similar to seasonal influenza and included fever, cough, sore throat, headache, fatigue and weakness, muscle aches, shortness of breath and vomiting/diarrhea.

Those who become ill should stay home for at least 24 hours after being free of fever, and the agency recommends companies should be flexible with leave policies and not require a note from a physician. These policies should be in place for contract and temporary workers as well as regular employees.

If a worker reports being sick, the individual should be separated from others and given a surgical mask, and fellow employees should be informed of their exposure so they monitor their own health. The CDC has also posted recommendations for those assisting ill workers, including respirator and mask use, at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/masks.htm.

To prevent the spread of illness, the agencies recommend personnel cover their mouth when coughing and increase hand hygiene. Those areas seeing frequent hand contact should be cleaned often and workers should practice a greater social distance (greater than 6 feet).

To prepare for potential absences of ill workers, sites should implement plans to continue essential functions even when individuals are not at work, and personnel should be cross-trained on other everyday functions. Management should be prepared to change business practices to maintain critical operations and should consider alternative work environments or reassignment when possible.

MSHA and NIOSH have established a list of web resources and checklists for all places of business, mines included, such as a communications toolkit for flu prevention, methods of response to the flu season, and tips for workers who are part of public gatherings.

For printable, distributable information on H1N1, the diagnosis and prevention of illness and updated data on the topic, visit the MSHA web site.