Ford Motor closed and after that resumed its Chicago Assembly plant two times in less than 24 hours after 2 employees evaluated favorable for Covid-19, the business verified Wednesday.
The quick closures on different shifts Tuesday are the first-known kinds of events because Detroit car manufacturers began resuming their big North American assembly plants on Monday. The plants were shuttered in March in an effort to safeguard employees and lower the spread of the illness.
Ford likewise closed down its Dearborn Truck plant in Michigan on Wednesday after a worker there evaluated favorable for Covid-19, the business verified later on in the day. It is anticipated to resume operations Wednesday night, according to a Ford spokesperson.
Both plants construct automobiles crucial to Ford’s success. The Michigan plant constructs F-Series pickups and the Chicago plant puts together Ford Explorer designs and Lincoln Aviator crossovers.
Ford, in different declarations, stated the employees at the both plants are being asked to self-quarantine for 14 days. Their workspace likewise were deep cleaned up and sanitized, according to the business.
“The safety of our workforce is our top priority,” Ford stated relating to the Chicago workers. “When two employees who returned to work this week tested positive for Covid-19, we immediately notified people known to have been in close contact with the infected individuals and asked them to self-quarantine for 14 days.” It launched a comparable declaration relating to the Michigan plant.Â
Ford stated none of the workers contracted the illness while at work, pointing out the incubation time of the illness.
The Chicago plant was closed down two times Tuesday on various shifts and resumed Wednesday prior to closing down once again Wednesday afternoon due to a parts scarcity, according to the business. It is presently running with 2 shifts of employees.Â
Automakers, consisting of Ford, have actually carried out strict procedures to help in decreasing the spread of the illness in addition to procedures such as prework surveys and temperature level screenings to determine those who might be at greater threat of contracting Covid-19.
Ford and the United Auto Workers union, which represents employees for the Detroit car manufacturers, decreased to talk about particular information of the contaminated employees.
“The UAW is aggressively looking at and monitoring the process and the protocols and how they’re being implemented across the country,” UAW representative Brian Rothenberg informed CNBC. “Our first priority is the health and safety of our members, their families and their communities.”
