Businesses in the construction industry could be wiped out by a combination of the recession and a swine flu epidemic this winter.

And every single construction business - even the very smallest - must make a plan now for how they would cope with the epidemic if it happens.

That's the advice of a management development expert Mark Jacobs of The Mdina Partnership.

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It’s in reaction to a new survey by the Chartered Management Institute, that revealed 38% of organisations have no continuity plans.

Mark said: "It is a basic element of good management that you have a plan for every eventuality, even if it is a loose plan.If there is a swine flu epidemic, with reports that up to 65,000 people could die, it will affect businesses on many different levels.

"Not only could they find key members of staff are unavailable to work, but there may also be a cash flow crisis as customers stop ordering for a few months.

"Coming off the back of a deep recession, swine flu could do some serious damage to UK businesses if they are unprepared."

(CD/JM)