Press Release

September 10, 2009

Mississauga, Ontario – September 10, 2009 – For the first time in over 40 years, the World Health Organization has declared an influenza pandemic.  Public health officials and infection control experts are predicting the H1N1 virus, which has been mild so far, will make a strong resurgence this fall during the regular flu season, which on average sees 20,000 hospitalizations and 4,000 deaths in Canada each year¹.  The need to protect ourselves from becoming ill is more critical than ever and workplaces need to be prepared. 

A pandemic may seriously affect your business. Take precautions to limit the impact it could have the health and safety of your employees, the continuity of business operations, and your company’s bottom line.

IAPA’s Pandemic Planning: Is Your Business Ready? course will put your organization on the fast track to effectively managing the challenges of a pandemic.  During this half-day course, you will learn:

• What defines a pandemic and how infectious diseases spread
• Strategies for infection control that you can apply in your workplace
• Steps for minimizing the impact of a pandemic on your business

Business owners, human resource professionals, business continuity specialists, and health and safety managers and staff are encouraged to attend one of seven courses scheduled this fall in convenient locations across Ontario: 

Cost for each course listed above is $144 per person for IAPA member firms or $160 for non-members.  On-site training can also be arranged.  For more information, call 1-800-406-IAPA (4272) or visit the IAPA website (www.iapa.ca). 

Start your planning now and protect your business and employees from the effects of a pandemic. 

IAPA (Industrial Accident Prevention Association) is a not-for-profit, member-driven organization operating in Ontario since 1917. Representing approximately 50,000 member firms and more than 1.5 million Ontario workers, IAPA is Canada’s leader in workplace health, safety, and employee well-being. IAPA is focused on providing industry-leading training, consulting, educational products, and informational services that meet our members’ needs and the needs of those in their communities. IAPA is also recognized as a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre in Occupational Health and an International Labour Organization – CIS Collaborating Centre. IAPA is ISO 9001 certified and has been awarded the National Quality Institute’s Progressive Excellence Program Level 4 for Quality Certificate and the Canada Awards for Excellence Gold Trophy Awards for Quality and Healthy Workplace.

ATTENTION MEDIA: IAPA is now accepting applications for the 2010 IAPA Russ Ramsay Media Awards for Excellence in Health and Safety Reporting. All Ontario trade and consumer media – print (newspapers or magazines), radio, and television – distributed and broadcast in Ontario are invited to submit pieces of work focusing on workplace health and safety. Universities and colleges are also invited to submit work in the Student Media print and radio categories. Only work published or aired between January 1 and December, 31, 2009 will be eligible. For award consideration, all materials must be submitted to IAPA by Tuesday, February 9, 2010.

For more information on IAPA’s programs, products, services, and awards programs, visit IAPA’s website at www.iapa.ca .

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For media inquiries, please contact:
 
Meagan Parker
Communications & PR Specialist, IAPA
Tel: 905-614-4272, ext. 2247
E-mail: mparker@iapa.ca