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SARS Crisis Hits Workers11 April 2003The deadly SARS disease, which started out as a severe occupational health and safety concern has also turned out to be a major jobs killer – with airline workers among the most at risk on both fronts. The full impact of the SARS virus is being felt in the airline industry, with one thousand Qantas staff being made redundant and hundreds more facing reduced hours and extended leave. The airline says the war is partly to responsible but blames SARS for pounding the final nail into the coffin - causing passengers to Asia to stay away in droves. And airline workers are not the only ones at risk. Health care workers, community care workers and anyone dealing with or caring for an individual with SARS are most at risk as is any worker in direct contact with the public. The World Health Organisation has documented 2671 cases of SARS in 17 countries, with a total of 111 known deaths. Unions around the world are now scrambling to ensure members are protected. But with new information coming to light almost on a daily basis it is still hard to say just how much at risk workers are and what are the most appropriate precautions to take. The Flight Attendants Association of Australia maintains that the actual risk to cabin crews of contracting SARS appears to be low. But the union says that while so many questions about the disease are still yet to be answered it is vital that workers be supported in taking precautionary measures, such as wearing facemasks or gloves, and is encouraging thorough and regular hand washing. It has also set up a dedicated webpage to share new information about the virus with members as it comes to light and to provide access to other SARS information sources. The World Health Organization says that SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, is a deadly strain of pneumonia first recognised at the end of February 2003. It includes in its list of early SARS symptoms fever, malaise, chills, headache and dizziness. Some also experience coughing, a sore throat and a runny nose, it says. The incubation period is believed to be from 1 to 10 days from the first exposure to the onset of symptoms. The most common mode of infection is thought to be entry through mouth, inhalation and eyes, with the disease potentially transmitted through droplets traveling through the air when people cough or sneeze. It is not yet certain if it can also be transmitted through other bodily secretions but close contact with an infected individual does increase the risk of the virus being spread from one person to another. Some reports from the Centre for Disease Control say it may also be possible for the disease to be transmitted by air. So far thorough hand washing followed by drying is thought to be the best protection against contracting the illness. Aside from the FAAA, many other unions are putting measures in place to support at-risk members and are pushing to ensure employers do the same. In New Zealand several companies have asked their employees returning from Hong Kong to stay at home during the disease's incubation period, following a warning that the sevens tournament could have been a massive SARS incubator. In Hong Kong flight crews have now all been issued with masks, are being provided access to 10 days additional sick leave and are able to bring forward their annual and long-service leave. Meanwhile several hundred workers screening travelers at a Canadian were provided with protective facemasks by their union but were told to take them off by management. According to a Toronto Sun report five screeners, including a pregnant worker, were sent home for the duration of their shifts when they refused to remove their masks. In Australia Qantas is now permitting its workers to wear masks and gloves, but with the disease also being used to justify mass redundancies at the airline, many workers are finding the gesture offers far from adequate protection. Useful SARS Links FAAA SARS page: http://www.labourstart.org/sars/ LabourStart SARS page: http://www.labourstart.org/sars/ World Health Organisation SARS page: http://www.who.int/csr/sars/guidelines/en/ Hazards Magazine SARS page: http://www.hazards.org/sars/index.htm | |
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