Bes^ractice Guideline c • “S for Workplace Health & S afety During Avian Influenza Thi* docwmcni Km b««n d«v«top«d by lh« Oov«fnm«ni of ANm*I«. orttb mput from • Albof !• Empfoymool and Immtgralioo • Alboru AgrtcuHuro and Rural Oovolopmaoi • AJborta HaaMh artd Walirtaaa TiMa boat pracbco gutdaiuto ta iolandod lo bo cooaiaioni ordh iho duociwo of documonta on avtan mRuonfa from AlboMa Hoafib artd WoUrtoaa. US Cartiar for O»aoaaa Comrol artd llto World Hoafib Orgarttaabort Copyrlgbi artd Tarma of Uaa Tbra rrtafortal. Ntcfudirtg copyrtglM artd rrtarka urtdor Ibo Trada Marka Acf iCartadal m o arrtad by l**a Oovarrtrrtarti of AJbaria artd profactad by lata TMa rrtafarlal may ba waa<L raproducad. aaorad O* Irartamdiad for rtort corrtrrtarciai purpoaa Motaaaar. Croarrt copyrtgbl la lo ba ackrtoaaladgad N II dlo ba waad. raproducad. alorad or irartarrutiad for corrtritarctal purpoaaa wrdlart cortaarti of Iba Mauaiar la rtacaaaary a a I » . Inforrrtaftort Mt ibra docuntam d p rotridad aolafy for iba uaar'a wdorrrtabort artd <a pro»tdad alrtclfy ort art *aa d* baad artd ardboul arry ararraniy of arry katd Tba Crodrv, Na agartim. ampAdaaa or comraclora «adl rtol ba babd for arry darrtagaa. daaci or Mtdwacl. or loal prpfHa artamg owl of uaa of trtforrrtabort ptoatdad « Iftd docwrrtam or for inforrrtaiiort proxridad al arty of Iba raaowrca adaa baiad at thd docwrrtani TMa docwmarti d a vaHabd ort Iba taabada al artaw ararbaafafy arg Copyrtgbl 4) nOR Oowartwrtam of ARtaria Table of Contents Section 1; Overview 3 Section 2: What is Avian Influenza? 5 • W hat is avian influenza? 5 • H ow can avian influenza affect workers? 5 • How is avian influenza transmitted to workers? 6 • How is avian influenza different from seasonal or pandemic influenza? 6 Section 3: Work Environment during an Avian Influenza Outbreak 7 • How does avian influenza relate to you and your workplace? 7 • How can your workplace prepare for and respond to an avian influenza outbreak? 7 Section 4: Roles and Responsibilities - W orkplace Health & S afety 9 Section 5: Hazard Assessment and Control 11 • W hat is a h azard? 11 • W hat category of hazard is the avian influenza virus? 12 •Why assess? 13 • How to assess avian influenza in your environment 13 Step 1 : List types of work and work-related activities 14 Step 2: Identify the hazard 16 Step 3: Assess the hazards 17 Step 4: Implement controls 18 Step 5: Communicate the information to workers and provide training 29 Step 6: Evaluate the effectiveness of controls 32 Section 6: First Aid 33 Useful References 35 • A ppendix 1 - C anadian Food Inspection Agency Control Zones 37 • A ppendix 2 - H azard Assessment 38 • A ppendix 3 - B lank Record of Training Form 39 1 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/details/bestpracticeguid00albe_2 Section 1: Overview During an avian influenza outbreak some workers may be at risk of coming in contact with the virus at their workplaces. How can you protect workplace health and safety during an avian influenza outbreak? Read on. The information included in this document is — to the best of our knowledge — current at the time of printing. The document is intended to serve as a g uideline to all workplaces affected by avian influenza and provides information on legislated requirements, best practices, guidelines and strategies in workplace health and safety in the event of an avian influenza outbreak. While legislated requirements — the laws — are specifically identified; the rest provides general information rather than a d efinitive guide to specific practices or procedures. This document provides guidelines, only you can (and must) identify the specific hazards and controls required for your workplace. This document provides you with an overview of best practices in workplace health and safety for the protection of your workers against the avian influenza virus during an outbreak. For the purpose of this document, a b est practice is a program, process, strategy, or activity that; • Has been shown to be effective in the prevention of workplace illness or injury. • H as been implemented, maintained, and evaluated. • Is based on current information. • Is of value to, or transferable to, other organizations. In Alberta, the requirements for health and safety are outlined in the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act), Regulation (OHS Regulation), and Code (OHS Code). The Act, Regulation, and Code are available for viewing or downloading on the Alberta Employment and Immigration (AEI), Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) website at http://employment.alberta.ca/whs-ohs.This document does not replace the OHS Act, Regulation, and Code and does not exempt you from your responsibilities under the legislation. Official printed copies may be purchased from the Oueen's Printer at www.qp.gov.ab. ca/custom_page.cfm?page_id+41 or: Edmonton Main Floor, Park Plaza 10611 - 9 8 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta RESOURCES T5K2P7 Phone: 780-427-4952 Fax: 780-452-0668 3 Section 2: What is Avian Influenza? What is avian influenza? Avian influenza, or "bird flu',' is a contagious disease caused by viruses that nornnally infect only wild and/or domestic birds. The terms low and high pathogenic are used to determine the effect of the virus on the health of the bird population. Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI): Low pathogenic avian influenza is commonly present in wild waterfowl such as ducks. Most avian influenza A viruses are low pathogenic avian influenza viruses that are associated with mild disease/symptoms in poultry and may easily go undetected in birds. High pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI): The high pathogenic avian influenza virus is of higher risk to birds as it spreads very rapidly through poultry flocks, causing a large die off in the infected birds. How can avian influenza affect workers? During an avian influenza outbreak, there is the potential that the avian influenza virus could be spread from infected poultry/birds to exposed workers who are not properly protected from the hazard. Some strains of the avian influenza virus may infect a small number of workers who come in direct contact with sick birds (e.g. workers involved in clean-up/culling of birds) or environments contaminated with the virus. It is very rare that human-to-human spread of avian influenza will occur among workers.^ Humans infected with avian influenza (e.g. through contaminated environments or machinery) may develop symptoms within one to five days of exposure to the virus. People will commonly display symptoms that resemble those of the conventional (seasonal) influenza. These include: coughing, a f ever, sore throat, and muscle aches. A r elatively mild eye infection (conjunctivitis) is sometimes the only indication of the disease. More severe symptoms of avian influenza include: viral pneumonia and acute respiratory distress.^ 1 http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/pdf/flu_viruses.pdf 2 h ttp://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex8136 3 h ttp://www.mayoclinic.eom/health/bird-flu/DS00566/DSECTION =2 5 How is avian influenza transmitted to workers? Avian influenza infection in workers can potentially occur from contact with • I nfected poultry and under or uncooked poultry products • I nfected wild or domestic birds, manure and litter containing high concentrations of the avian influenza virus • C ontaminated surfaces, vehicles, equipment, clothing arxf footwear at infected sites (e.g infected poultry farms)/ How is avian influenza different from seasonal or pandemic influenza? Avian (Bird) Pandemic Seasonal (Human) Influenza Influenza Influenza • A d isease caused by • A d isease of birds/animals • A n ew strain of influenza virus that spreads quickly influerua viruses earned caused by influenza viruses carried and spread between among humans worldwide and spread between birds. because humans have humans. ^ • I ndividuals are infected • W ild birds, specifically 1 no pre existing immunity waterfowl, are the main against it. by these different strains carriers. i • Potential to cause large of influenza at multiple number(s) of human illness times during their lives. • D omestic poultry can get the and death. Even though the virus may virus from wild birds and change slightly from year may become seriously ill. 1 • A s pecific vaccine can not to year, most people will • Humans may (but rarely) be 1 be developed until the new continue to have some strain has emerged. infected with the virus when protection against slightly in close contact with infected changed viruses. birds/animals, their waste/ particularly if they environment, or uncooked are immunized yearly. or undercooked infected poultry products. ! Can avian influenza become pandemic influenza? The avian influenza virus does not spread easily or rapidly among humans. However, influenza viruses have the possibility to mingle with one another and develop into a new strain. If someone with human influenza also becomes infected with avian influenza, there is a chance that the viruses could mingle and turn into a new virus that spreads easily from person to person This could lead to a p andemic influenza No one would have immunity to the new virus.’ If avian influenza were to escalate to a p andemic influenza, please refer to FOCUS the resource: 8esr Pracffce GuidmHnt for Workplace Health ar>d Safety During Pandemic Influenia 4 M lp WWW pT>«c Mpc 0C c« pwb1ic«l iMo « h tm<«Z3 SNIP WWW Kc «C 0C >vr> Vtv Ovwn «*«9 ptip 6 Section 3: Work Environment during an Avian Influenza Outbreak How does avian influenza relate to you and your workplace? Avian influenza introduces a p otential biological hazard into some workplaces (e.g. poultry farming operations, zoos, egg production facilities). Your overall workplace hazard assessment must consider the risks that the avian influenza virus may introduce into your work environment, especially when job tasks require that workers participate in a workplace affected by the avian influenza virus. How can your workplace prepare for and respond to an avian influenza outbreak? This document addresses workplace health and safety best practices, options and strategies for preparation and response to preserve health and safety in all Alberta workplaces that could potentially be affected by an avian influenza outbreak. The hazard assessment tool focuses on potential and actual health and safety issues during an avian influenza outbreak and provides methods for controlling or reducing the risk of exposure to the virus in y our workplace. Examples of workplaces that may be affected by the avian influenza virus during an outbreak may include; • Poultry farms (backyard and industry) FOCUS • Poultry processing facilities • Laboratories • Z oos • Hospitals and Veterinarian Clinics In February of 2004, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced an outbreak of high pathogenic avian influenza in poultry in British Columbia. Culling operations and other measures were performed in an effort to control the spread of the virus. Health Canada reported two cases of laboratory- confirmed influenza A ( H7): one in a person involved in culling operations, and the other in a poultry worker who had close contact with poultry. Both patients developed conjunctivitis (eye infection) and other flu-like symptoms. Although these are the only laboratory-confirmed cases of avian influenza A (H7) in humans during this outbreak, approximately 10 other poultry workers exhibited conjunctival and/or upper respiratory symptoms after having contact with poultry.® D D VG' 6 h ttp://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/outbreaks/past.htm 7