Mitigating Infectious Diseases in Company Workplaces through Business Partnerships

Abstract

This communication describes how the company established a corporate steering committee and programs built on operations systems to effectively protect its large globally mobile international workforces from vector borne diseases, outbreaks, and other communicable diseases. Application: Infectious diseases have potential for serious health consequences, operation disruption, loss of productivity, and impact on a company’s license to operate and reputation. Mitigation of such threats in the oil and gas sector requires corporate commitment, intricate partnership between Operations, Security, Safety, Health and Environmental (SSHE) organizations with consistent use of effective mitigation measures built on company processes. Observations: Global implementation of the Company malaria control program decreased reported cases from 230 in 2002 to less than 15 since 2005. Chemoprophylaxis compliance testing developed with corporate funds was instrumental in such success. Following the deployment of Infectious Disease Outbreak Management in 2010, average number of affected workers during outbreaks decreased from 23 in 2010 to 12, in 2012. The Steering Committee for Infectious Disease Control assembles Company executives, SSHE managers and Medical and Occupational Health (MOH) department representatives. The committee and attached unit periodically review program needs and performances while providing guidance and resources for program improvements. MOH and SSHE organizations work in partnership with Operations and providers for tool development and updates, program implementation, effectiveness reviews and reporting. The Company operations integrity management systems include also effectiveness reviews of infectious disease control program in operations sites. Significance: The visible engagement of Company Executives in workplace infectious disease control programs is critical. Embedding disease control program procedures in company mechanisms, and building internal partnerships between Operations, providers, MOH and SSHE organizations are essential for the effective protection of oil and gas workers exposed to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases around the globe. It also prevents spread of outbreaks from the operation sites to surrounding communities.

A review of the role of digitalization in health risk management in extractive industries – a study motivated by COVID-19

“…Various studies highlighted the critical role of business partnerships in protecting global mobile workforces (Diara et al , 2013; Viliani et al , 2016; Schneider et al , 2015; Nabizadeh et al , 2021). Internal collaborations between the operators, supply chain companies, medical units and security, health and environmental organizations are necessary to share reliable information and produce accurate immediate responses to EIDs (Diara et al , 2013). Integration of the local community in public-private partnerships is important to preventing infectious disease spread between operational sites and neighborhood communities (Nowosiwsky et al , 2016).…”

A Global Effective Ebola Outbreak Preparedness and Response from an Oil and Gas Company Perspective

“…This program visibly engages Company executives in workplace infectious disease control, providing critical leverage in program execution (25). Its components include measures implemented before, during and after an outbreak, as well as disease-specific definitions of an outbreak and a tool kit for investigation.…”