Avian Flu Concerns Outpace Preparedness According To Workplace Survey From Kimberly-Clark Professional

As the cold and flu season approaches and as concerns about avian flu rise, workplace preparedness is lagging behind, according to a survey from Kimberly-Clark Professional.



Seventy percent of respondents said they believed avian flu was likely
to hit North America, but only 25 percent responded "yes" when asked, "Has
your company engaged in building a plan in the event of an actual outbreak
of the avian flu?" Forty percent expressed concern about an avian flu
outbreak in their workplace.



Respondents were given a list of possible actions employers could take
to minimize workplace risk associated with avian flu outbreak and were
asked to give their opinion as either in "favor" or "opposed." Posting
respiratory etiquette and hand-washing posters or stickers garnered the
most positive responses, with 93 percent of respondents saying they favored
posting these in common areas. This was followed by:


-- Maintaining lists of health-related websites, telephone numbers and
other resources for senior leadership or building management personnel
(89 percent).


-- Training workers in the proper use of protective equipment (87
percent).


-- Establishing an emergency plan or kit to identify and treat avian flu
symptoms (86 percent).


-- Establishing a workplace continuity plan (85 percent).


-- Storing protective masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and other materials
in bulk (79 percent).


-- Installing a verbal reminder system to encourage hand washing (75
percent).


-- Encouraging people to work from home when possible (49 percent).



The national, online survey was conducted in May and polled employees
in health care, science, manufacturing, office buildings, lodging and other
industries. Kimberly-Clark Professional issued the voluntary, nonrandom
survey using its own industry e-newsletter and received 379 responses.



Avian Flu Resources Available Online



To help its customers maintain business continuity in the event of an
avian flu pandemic, Kimberly-Clark Professional has developed a wealth of
resources and information, including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and
answers, downloadable posters, business continuity and preparedness
information, pamphlets and other materials. The Kimberly-Clark Professional
web site also contains links to avian flu information, safety
recommendations and checklists from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),
the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Institute of Health
(NIH), the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN), and
other health and safety organizations. Information is also available on
personal protection items for healthcare providers, laboratory workers,
farm workers and food handlers. More information is available at
kc-safety/avianflu.
















About Kimberly-Clark Professional



Kimberly-Clark Professional offers a range of well-known brands and
product solutions for workplace settings, Do-It-Yourselfers (DIY) and away-
from-home washrooms. Kimberly-Clark Professional workplace products include
safety apparel, gloves and related accessories as well as task-engineered
wipers for both "clean" and "dirty" manufacturing environments. DIY and
professional contractor products include solutions for home improvement and
automotive projects that make fixing up and cleaning up fast, easy and
efficient. Known for innovative, quality solutions, Kimberly-Clark
Professional's pioneering products include Coreless Bath Tissue, JRT(R)
Bath Tissue, the KIMCARE(R) ALL-N-1 Skin Care System and KIMTECH(R) Wipers.
Kimberly-Clark Professional's well-known brands include KLEENEX(R),
SCOTT(R), WYPALL(R), KIMTECH(R), KLEENGUARD(R) and KIMCARE(R).
Kimberly-Clark Professional, located in Roswell, Ga., is one of
Kimberly-Clark Corporation's (NYSE: KMB) four business segments and can be
visited on the web at kcprofessional.



About Kimberly-Clark



Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable
part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion
people - almost a quarter of the world's population - trust K-C brands and
the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well being.
With brands such as KLEENEX(R), SCOTT(R), HUGGIES(R), PULL-UPS(R), KOTEX(R)
and DEPEND(R), Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in
more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn
more about the company's 134-year history of innovation, visit
kimberly-clark.


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