Washington’s Division of Occupational safety and Health (DOSH) fined Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane $8,000 for failing to follow state and national H1N1 flu safety standards.

The Washington State Nurses Association filed a complaint against Sacred Heart. Nurses at the hospital were reporting difficulty in accessing properly fit-tested N-95 masks when treating patients with H1N1 flu.

Specific violations include:

• inadequate written respiratory protection program
• not all employees who wear N-95 respirators were fit tested or trained on an annual basis, and
• no provisions were made for men with facial hair, which can interfere with the seal of N-95 respirators.

EPA has issued a warning: Several vendors are making claims that aren’t true.

What is true: Disinfectants used on hard surfaces according to label instructions are effective against type-A flu viruses, including this year’s H1N1 strain. Approved products specifically have label information which states they provide effectiveness against “Influenza A viruses”

However, there are no products registered by EPA that will disinfect or sterilize the air or a room by fogging. Claims for disinfecting carpets, drapes and other porous surfaces are also false.

For more information from EPA on flu disinfectant products, click here.

The agency also reports that 22 million swine flu cases occurred during the same period.

In an average flu season, flu contributes to the deaths of about 36,000 people, with 90% age 65 or older. Many of them have other underlying health conditions.

That’s not been the case with H1N1. The vast majority of deaths have been in people age 18 to 64, and about 25% of them were healthy before contracting the virus.

Of the 4,000 total deaths, about 540 have been children age 17 and under.

Key message: We’ve got at least four more months to go in the flu season this year. H1N1 has just started to show the impact it can have. Employees still have to heed warnings to wash their hands frequently and stay out of work if they have flu symptoms and a fever.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says 39% of workers don’t have paid sick time. Result: People who can’t afford to receive smaller paychecks go to work sick. Then they spread their illness — including flu — to their co-workers.

“Providing workers with paid sick days is essential if we’re going to get serious about the public health recommendations for swine flu — stay home until 24 hours after your fever is broken,” said George Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. Staying home until a fever is broken may take up to five days.

According to The New York Times, workers at some retailers and restaurants say their employers’ policies discourage them from calling in sick.

Wal-Mart issues employees a demerit point when they miss a day of work. If employees get four demerits in six months, they begin receiving warnings that can lead to dismissal.

Fast food chain White Castle says its policy is that when an employee is ill, they are allowed — and required — to stay home until they’re well. However, White Castle doesn’t provide paid time off. A company VP says workers don’t have to lose pay because they can make up the missed time by working more hours after they’re well.

Supporters of a bill in Congress that would mandate companies with 15 or more workers to provide seven paid sick days a year are using the H1N1 pandemic to push their cause.

Business groups oppose the measure, saying it’s expensive and unnecessary.

Does the U.S. need to mandate paid sick time for workers? Let us know what you think in the Comments Box below.

A survey shows 91% of Americans said they want their co-workers to remain at home if they’re infected with H1N1.

And those workers have support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency recommends people with flu stay home until their temperature drops below 100°F without pain relievers for 24 hours to reduce its spread.

Other findings from the Mansfield Communications survey of 2,029 Americans:

• 69% of workers said they’d received no communication about policies in the workplace pertaining to H1N1
• 84% believe the recession creates more pressure to show up for work, even if they feel sick
• 47% said they’d still engage in public activities (riding the bus, picking up a prescription or grocery shopping) even when they were infected with H1N1 and required to stay home from work, and
• 84% were likely to report a colleague who had flu symptoms.

Recently, SafetyNewsAlert.com asked our readers how prepared they were for a swine flu outbreak:

• 52% somewhat prepared
• 29% not at all prepared
• 17% well prepared, and
• 2% don’t think swine flu will affect their company.

So if you’re like many businesses playing catch-up when it comes to flu preparedness, the federal government has a Web page with suggestions.

Now, we’d like to hear from you. What should a company’s policy be about workers who have the flu? Should they be required to stay home? What happens when so many workers are sick that it affects productivity? Let us know in the Comments Box below.