Zurich, February 1, 2010 – international logistics holding AsstrA has worked out a continuous and efficient operation mechanism taking into account a potential flu epidemic. Some ideas about health safety of the employees and business risk minimization may be useful for any company.

Up to 500 million people contract flu annually. 3-5 million severe flu cases are registered and up to 500 thousand people die during the epidemics period. AsstrA strives to secure company business processes which means ensuring health safety for its employees and partners first of all.

In business, the result depends on the continuous and coordinated work of all partners.  Every company aims at choosing the most reliable partners able to react to a difficult situation quickly and demand the confirmation of being ready for such a situation from each other.  A flu epidemic may threaten full-fledged effective work. However, AsstrA is a customer-oriented holding and its employees do their best to prevent damage to their customers’ business even under critical conditions.

Flu is an acute infectious respiratory disease that all age groups are susceptible to. Flu is known to be an aerosol or air-borne disease spreading rapidly in the form of epidemics and pandemics. Nevertheless, preventive measures against the spread of flu are rather simple and easily to implement at home as well as in the office: to wash one’s hands with soap thoroughly and frequently, not to touch one’s eyes, nose and lips, to air rooms regularly, to avoid mass gatherings of people, to use a protective mask while interacting with a sick person and to stay at home for 7 days if you have still contracted the disease. One should take vitamins and immuno-modulators and avoid  hypothermia as a preventive measure.

How can an employer ensure the safety of employee in case an epidemic develops? AsstrA gives recommendations basing on its own experience. It is necessary:

• To communicate information helpful in controlling the epidemic spread to the employees. This may be done with the help of posters and written manuals in simple and clear language;
• To provide a sufficient amount of hygienic and disinfection means, protective masks and gloves;
• Creating comprehensive tele-working  conditions for key employees;
• Creating favorable conditions allowing sick employees to stay home without any material losses;
• Building a special team for continuous work plan implementation. All team members should be given training and receive clear instructions; contact details of the team members should be communicated to the rest of employees.
   

It also makes sense to ensure the possibility of operative training for employees from other department, offices and subsidiaries.  

The logistics sphere has its own peculiarities and special measures on epidemic prevention are required accordingly. First, forwarding companies should take into account the possibility of halting on well-developed transportation routes due to closed borders. Possible options of solving the problem should be considered: leaving the cargo in a warehouse close to the border, return it to the warehouse of the customer or taking some other measures. Continuous work plans for the epidemic period should be also coordinated with key partners and subcontractors. Besides, hygienic and disinfection means, protective masks and gloves should be provided to drivers along with all office workers and visitors.

“Being able to make it through such periods as flu epidemics with no significant damage to the business testifies to the ability of managers to plan the work taking unforeseen circumstances into account and, consequently, to the reliability of the company,” Frank Mueller, President of the Board of Directors of AsstrA holding company points out. “AsstrA has many customers and partners and the success of our cooperation in case of an epidemic depends on all business process participants being prepared thoroughly. We realize our responsibility and may say that we are prepared for difficult situations. Certainly, such measures will not only be useful for the business, but will also help to protect employees. Health is the greatest wealth”.  

About Holding Company AsstrA AG:

AsstrA Associated Traffic AG was founded in 1993 in Zurich, Switzerland.

Nowadays AsstrA is an international holding company operating on the logistics services market. 

Company offices are located in 10 countries: Switzerland, Russia, the Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Poland, Italy, Germany and China. 800 employees provide services to more than 4,000 customers.  The liability of the company as a freight forwarder is insured by the insurance broker, Aktiv Assekuranz (Germany), with a 1,000,000 EUR limit per every insured accident. AsstrA shares the responsibility for the transportation harmful effect on the environment and puts every effort to minimize it from its side.

For more information please contact
Head of the Promotion Department of AsstrA AG Holdiogn Company
by calling +375 17 217 77 87/88/89
or e-mailing your inquiry to pr@asstra.by.