Putting safe operating procedures in place

Fabricators up and down the country are contemplating strategies for opening for business again. Some have already opened in some capacity while others are focusing on a return date of the 11th of May. What is essential is the generation of a safe operating procedure (SOP). One company that has started operating at a basic level is Emplas. It’s own rationale is very interesting and needs sharing. Driven primarily by commercial clients demanding supply to complete contracts  and orders from its Australian business, the company has adopted a staged approach.

Only 11 voluntary members of the 150 production staff are back in the factory, where social distancing is carried out in excess due to the automation in manufacturing. Shifts are staggered while PPE and hand sanitizers are used extensively. Orders are despatched in large containers to single customers. MD Ryan Johnson believes this staged approached means more workers can be introduced at intervals with detailed SOP training. This is more preferable than opening on a single day where a surge of 100+ staff entering the factory together would be chaotic at best. We will need to all return to work, and a safe and staged approach as demonstrated by Emplas could be a possible solution and is worth considering.