As I write this, chemical companies throughout the Gulf Coast are still feeling the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Wilma has left more than 3.2 million homes and businesses without power around Florida.
As we gear up for flu season, special attention is being given to avian flu, which began in Asia, spread to Russia and now threatens Eastern Europe. While the spread of the strain H5N1 to poultry in new areas is of concern - as it increases opportunities for further human cases to occur - the World Health Organization reports that evidence indicates that this strain of the virus does not spread easily from birds to infect humans. But if it mutates into a lethal form that can be spread among humans, the impact of a pandemic on the global workforce would be tremendous.