March 3, 2006—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have both added important information on their respective Web sites highlighting precautions for workers who may become exposed to avian flu, commonly called “bird flu.”
OSHA’s safety and health information bulletin, “Avian Influenza: Protecting Poultry Workers at Risk,” focuses on protecting poultry workers. OSHA’s safety and health guidance page, “Guidance for Protecting Workers against Avian Flu,” alerts workers and employers about the hazards of the virus. The guidance provides specific recommendations for farm workers and animal handlers, laboratory workers, medical personnel, food handlers, airline flight crews, and travelers.
NIOSH’s safety and health topic page, “Avian Influenza: Protecting Workers from Exposure,” includes an overview and description of the disease, and provides links to numerous national and international resources that discuss the topic.
