The measures that may be used to protect yourself, your employees, and your clients are (listed from most effective to least effective): engineering controls, administrative controls, work practices, and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Since there are advantages and disadvantages to each type of control measure, a combination of control methods is often most effective. Hygiene and social distancing can be implemented relatively easily and with little expense; however, this control method requires employees to modify and maintain their behavior, which may be difficult to sustain. On the other hand, installing clear plastic barriers will be more expensive and take a longer time to implement, although they may be more effective at preventing transmission during a pandemic. Supervisors must evaluate their particular workplace to develop a plan for protecting their employees that may combine both immediate actions as well as longer term solutions.

It is anticipated that most University employees will have low to medium risk for exposure to avian influenza in the workplace. However, it is important that you evaluate exposure risks for all employees in your work area and put appropriate countermeasures in place. Please use the following links for assistance with this task, starting with classifying employee exposure:

This information has been adapted from OSHA's Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic, 2007.