Cultivating Confidence Among Manufacturing Workforce During COVID-19

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As the world fights through the unprecedented economic challenges brought on by COVID-19, businesses throughout the U.S. are establishing the way forward through thoughtful and effective reopening strategies that keep our economy moving. For manufacturers in particular, the following factors are playing important roles in this effort.

OSHA Guidance

In June, OSHA released guidance on returning to work. This guidance document clearly defines itself as a recommendation that creates no new legal obligations. However, previous standards do exist which hold employers legally accountable for the safety of employees. An abiding option for OSHA inspectors is application of the General Duty Clause, which assures safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women.

Positive Cases and Contact Tracing

The CDC has stated that if a space has been unoccupied for seven days or more, natural disinfection of SARS-CoV-2 may be assumed. If seven days of non-occupancy is infeasible, active and effective disinfection of the area should be conducted. KERAMIDA has found many instances of ineffective disinfection through targeted testing regimes. Ineffective disinfection may be a result of improper chemical selection or improper practices.

In the CDC definition, contact occurs when two people are less than six feet from one another for at least 15 minutes when one individual is expressing symptoms and has an active confirmation or will subsequently be confirmed as positive for COVID-19. Frequently, this definition contraindicates contact events.

COVID Response Actions Among Manufacturers:

In assisting manufacturers of many kinds during this time, KERAMIDA has served as a guide for implementation of a number of different control types. The following are a few examples of various COVID response actions:

  • Mid-Sized Iron Foundry

    • The facility has been divided into groups based upon previously-implemented respiratory protection or face-shielding requirements, pre-existing requirements contraindicate new mask rules.

  • Large, Multi-Facility Corporate Entity

    • Departments have been physically reorganized or relocated to be considerate of the needs of entrants. People are able to gain access to the required area more directly. Related operations are likewise positioned adjacent to one another.

  • Large, High-Traffic Facility

    • Traffic is directed into central corridors with sufficient room to accommodate. Disinfection level in these areas is maintained in accordance with expected and actual traffic load.

  • Mid-Sized Agricultural Product Processor

    • Renewed training on food product handling practices. This training is already required and corresponding practices overlap between operational controls and COVID controls.

Control Hazards Through Minimal Change

A common denominator among many successful controls is the minimal change factor. We recommend that manufacturers attempt to control hazards through minimal change. Too much change at one time can be a recipe for falling off the learning curve entirely.

Employee and Public Relations

Often a contributing negative factor is the staggering volume of available misinformation. Employers should consider how they may pursue relief of employee concerns through visible efforts for safety, compliance, and care.

The following are policy requirements which have successfully driven employee confidence in many instances:

  • Source-Control Mask Use

  • Regular Disinfection / Verification Testing

  • Physical Distancing

  • Hand Washing / Sanitizing

  • Seating Management

  • Barriers Where Physical Separation is Unlikely or Impossible

  • Personnel Traffic Control Patterns

  • Staggered Shift Change Times

  • Training

  • Signage

  • Generous Attendance Policies

  • Expanded Work-From-Home Allowances

Our employees are the lifeblood of our economic recovery and effective reopening is unlikely without cultivating confidence among the workforce.

KERAMIDA is prepared to assist you with COVID reopening strategies, including training for your staff on proper disinfection protocols and COVID surface-testing to confirm disinfection is effective. Contact us today or call (800) 508-8034 to speak with one of our COVID rapid response services professionals.

Blog Author

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Dan Engling, M.S., CIH
Director of Industrial Hygiene Services
KERAMIDA Inc.

Contact Dan at dengling@keramida.com.