FCA makes employee health and safety a priority as it prepares to resume production

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is implementing a comprehensive program of enhanced health and safety measures as it prepares to resume production next week across North America.

The automaker says it used best practices implemented at its plants in China and Italy as a guide for developing the plan for North America.

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During the shutdown, FCA says it has cleaned and disinfected more than 57-million square feet of production floor throughout its plants.

Upon reopening, thorough daily cleaning schedules will be instituted to maintain enhanced levels of cleanliness and disinfection.

Also upon reopening, FCA will require its employees, as well as visitors to complete a daily health risk assessment.

It will consist of taking their temperature less than two hours before reporting to work or visiting the site with either a company-provided temperature strip or personal thermometer. They will also have to complete a self-screening questionnaire and turn it in upon entry.

For an added level of protection the automaker will install thermal imaging cameras to verify what employees and visitors have self-reported.

In order to comply with the 6-foot social distancing guidelines, FCA analyzed more than 17,000 workstations and determined more than 4,700 required redesign or modification.

Plexiglas partitions have also been installed to create visual management guides for social distancing in break areas and cafeterias.

FCA

FCA has decided to stagger employee start times and add time to breaks and lunches in order to minimize large gatherings. They have also decide to suspend meetings of more than 8 employees at a time and transition to virtual meetings when possible.

Employees will be required to wear company-provided masks and safety glasses at all times when in a facility. They will also be asked to wear gloves and safety glasses when applying or cleaning with disinfecting spray. Any visitors or contractors to an FCA facility will be required to provide their own personal protection equipment.

The new safety protocols and procedures will be communicated in a “Return to Work” package mailed to more than 47,000 represented employees in the U.S. and Canada.

FCA says it will continue to monitor and audit conditions at all facilities as well as the latest information on COVID-19 from federal and state agencies and will implement any new procedures as needed.