When to Call in Sick
Make sure you understand the formal policy about when and when not to come in to work when sick, there might be an official
policy and an unofficial policy. Make sure you can “live with” these policies.
The following materials from other surces might be of interest.
There are no questions with this section. If you want to add something tht can count towards your project.
Working When Sick
"Presenteeism" is when sick employees come to work anyway and often infect their co-workers
as well.
The common cold is a virus that typically infects the nose and throat. Bacteria do not cause colds, though
bacterial infections, such as sinusitis or ear infections, can result from complications
of a cold. Colds can occur any time during the year. Symptoms usually appear gradually, a
couple of days after the initial infection.
Influenza, or "the flu," is an infection of the respiratory system caused by an influenza
virus. The most severe flus are caused by the type A and B influenza viruses. Swine flu
(H1N1) and avian flu (H5N1) are both type A. Type C viruses cause mild illness or almost
no symptoms.
The flu is most common during the winter into spring. Symptoms begin abruptly (often with
a fever), are usually more severe than cold symptoms, and typically last a week or more.
Complications from the flu can lead to pneumonia.
Colds are spread more readily when people are indoors, where the chances increase for contact with contaminated surfaces
and inhalation of airborne viral particles. The flu is most commonly spread when viral particles are emitted into the air by coughing
and sneezing. or when a contaminated surface is touched. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
people are most contagious:
For colds, the first 2 to 3 days after infection, and usually not contagious by day 10
For flu, almost immediately after infection (a day before symptoms develop) and for 5 days
after symptoms appear
The primary pathways to infection are:
The eyes and nose. Cold viruses are very hardy; they can survive up to 3 hours on surfaces.
When people touch an infected surface with their hands, then touch their nose or rub their
eyes, the virus can enter the tear ducts or sinuses and infect the nasal passage. Flu
viruses can also spread via this pathway.
Inhalation. Breathing in viral particles is the most common pathway for flu infection. It
is also a pathway for cold viruses when infected airborne mucus droplets are inhaled into
the nose or throat.
Ideal conditions for the spread of infections are: When people congregate indoors,
When humidity of indoor air is low, especially during cold weather, and
When the dry air makes the lining of the nose drier and probably more vulnerable to viral
infection.
Psychological stress and allergic diseases affecting the nose or throat may increase the chances of being infected by a cold virus.
However, there is no scientific evidence that exercise or diet can decrease the chances of getting a cold.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, employers collectively lose about 15
million workdays each year to colds, rivaling the 17.6 million lost workdays for serious
injuries and illnesses reported to OSHA in a recent year.
The average worker endures about four colds each year. More workdays are lost when
employees leave work to care for a child with a cold or flu.
The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine reports that employees who work with
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a cold lose about 6 hours of productivity for the duration of the cold. If each worker has
four colds per year, that comes to 24 hours, or 3 days, of lost productivity per worker
annually.
The collective annual loss for U.S. businesses to the common cold is $20 billion to $25 billion.
In addition sick people are not very productive including making customer service mistakes.
Proper hand washing with soap and water
Follow these instructions for washing with soap and water:
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Wet your hands with warm, running water and apply liquid soap or use clean bar
soap. Lather well.
Rub your hands vigorously together for at least 15 to 20 seconds.
Scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your
fingers and under your fingernails.
Rinse well.
Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel.
Use a towel to turn off the faucet.
Proper use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers — which don't require water — are an excellent
alternative to hand washing, particularly when soap and water aren't available. They're
actually more effective than soap and water in killing bacteria and viruses that cause
disease. Commercially prepared hand sanitizers contain ingredients that help prevent
skin dryness. Using these products can result in less skin dryness and irritation than
hand washing.
Not all hand sanitizers are created equal, though. Some "waterless" hand sanitizers
don't contain alcohol. Use only the alcohol-based products. The CDC recommends
choosing products that contain at least 60 percent alcohol.
To use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer:
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Apply about 1/2 teaspoon of the product to the palm of your hand.
Rub your hands together, covering all surfaces of your hands, until they're dry.
If your hands are visibly dirty, however, wash with soap and water, if available, rather
than a sanitizer.
When should you wash your hands?
Although it's impossible to keep your bare hands germ-free, there are times when it's
critical to wash your hands to limit the transfer of bacteria, viruses and other microbes.
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Always wash your hands:
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After using the toilet
After changing a diaper — wash the diaper-wearer's hands, too
After touching animals or animal waste
Before and after preparing food, especially before and immediately after handling
raw meat, poultry or fish
Before eating
After blowing your nose
After coughing or sneezing into your hands
Before and after treating wounds or cuts
Before and after touching a sick or injured person
After handling garbage
Before inserting or removing contact lenses
When using public restrooms, such as those in airports, train stations, bus
stations and restaurants
Skin care of dirty and frequently washed hands? Any suggestions.
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