By Erin Read

“There are resources out there to help maintain worker safety and manufacturing productivity despite COVID-19 cases. For manufacturers who haven’t reached out for a Polaris MEP COVID Facilities Assessment yet, the coming of cold weather may be just the prompt to do so,” writes Susan Shalhoub of the Providence Business News.

Polaris MEP Project Manager Phil Ward spoke with Shalhoub about the challenges facing Rhode Island manufacturers committed to worker safety as the weather gets colder. He offers suggestions for dealing with too-small breakrooms / common areas and shares some ideas learned from manufacturers during site visits for no-cost COVID-19 Assessments.

“I am always amazed at the different ways people solve problems. In the beginning, companies were doing their best to interpret the guidelines (RIDOH, CDC, OSHA, etc.), and it was sometimes confusing.

 

Every manufacturer solved their specific problem with creativity and innovation. The team at Polaris MEP shared what we would learn in the field with each other and with any company that needed help in a specific area.

 

A great example of a simple low-cost solution was a company that bought dedicated styluses for each machine operator. This meant that they did not need use their fingers on the touch screen to control their machines. This reduced the cleaning frequency needed and saved on cleaning materials and time.
The most important thing? Their workers felt safer.”

Click here to read the full article, published December 15, 2020 in the Providence Business News.