Ford Readies To Re-Open Plants: Here’s How It Will Work

As Ford (F) readies to re-open its global production plants, the automaker has shared its plan for keeping workers safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

Using the protocols it introduced this week as its plants in China, along with its U.S. facilities, where Ford has been producing medical equipment, the company said that its employees will be wearing face masks, face shields, and other personal protective equipment as well as maintaining at least six feet of social distancing whenever possible.

Ford, along with GM and Fiat, have reportedly come to an agreement with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union to re-start U.S. vehicle production on May 18. Ford said it will resume operations at its manufacturing plans in Europe on May 4, with a small number of hourly and salaried employees returning to work in North American this week. The company has not officially announced its U.S. production plant re-start timeline.

“We’ve been working intently on how to restart our operations and safely bring back our employees and we’re ready,” Jim Farley, Ford’s chief operating officer, said in a statement. “We have gone through and trialed these processes. We’re abiding by our first principles, and we are working with our union and government partners to restart.

“Getting back to work isn’t just good news for Ford employees. It’s also good news for our suppliers, car dealers and the ecosystems that provide services around them, like restaurants, shops and stores. This economic multiplier effect is going to help reboot communities around the globe,” he added.

Ford will also increase the time between production shifts to help limit interactions between employees and allow for additional cleaning. The company has modified workstations, where possible, to provide social distancing while closing its cafeterias, small meeting rooms, fitness centers, and other small common areas.

The automaker has also installed no-touch temperature scans at entryways and will not permit anyone that has a temperature inside its facilities. All visitors will have to wear a face mask, and safety glasses with side shields or a face shield will be required for jobs that don’t allow for social distancing.

Ford facilities have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected during the shutdown period and will continue to be cleaned with increased frequency when they re-open. The company has also added hand sanitation standards and created a playbook to help employees understand the new safety protocols implemented.

Ford dealers looking to re-open their showrooms will be equipped with personal protective gear such as masks and hand sanitizer.

“Science and data are driving Ford’s return to work, including close collaboration with experts in the field of infectious disease and epidemiology, to set safety standards we are confident will protect employees as they return to work,” Dr. Walter Talamonti, corporate medical director at Ford, said in statement. “The protocols we’ve established will require employees take multiple steps every day to make sure that they are safe, healthy and able to work.”

Shares of Ford stock were down 2.76% as of 3:36 p.m. EDT on Thursday.