Disclaimer: Members are asking what others are doing during these uncertain times, and PPC is willing to publish information from members. However, please understand that this is neither PPC’s position on what is necessary or appropriate nor a recommendation that you should take action on the following without considering the legal ramifications of such action and the federal, state, and local regulations applicable to your business.
From Trent Tucker, General Manager, American Carton Company & PPC Board Member
During this challenging time, American Carton’s overriding principle is to control exposure of the virus to the general population. Most of our plants manufacture paperboard packaging for products that consumers need. Thus, we need to produce—shutting down is not a viable option.
Below are a few notes from what we’ve learned so far.
Visitors
Visitors are the easiest to control – simply keep them out. Yet while we have implemented a “No Visitor” policy, there are challenges when it comes to customers, vendors, and non-manufacturing employees who need to interact with our manufacturing processes.
Customers
- Thus far, customers have been understanding and are willing to work remotely on projects.
- Video conferencing, virtual 3D designs, file sharing sites, electronic approvals, etc., are good alternatives to onsite visits.
- If a customer insists on being on site for a press check, they will be restricted to a conference room and not allowed on the production floor. The conference room will then be sanitized after they leave.
Vendors
- Maintenance and Repair – How to handle vendors that need to repair a broken machine becomes a judgment call. I understand one company in our industry is using a questionnaire to assess if a vendor is a significant risk to the plant. If the vendor is seen to be a risk, they are excluded from the plant.
- Service Companies – Keeping service companies (e.g., rag services, first aid supplies, forklift service, recycling, etc.) out of the plant is possible. We are having these companies only work from outside the plant. For example, we wheel barrels of used rags outside and wheel in the clean ones. Also, the forklift service company performs the PM service outside.
Non-Manufacturing Related Employees
- Non-manufacturing related employees can be restricted from the manufacturing floor.
- Sales personnel, due to the nature of their work tend to be more exposed to outside risks. Consequently, special care needs to be taken to mitigate their exposure at customer/prospect sites. Also, sales personnel should be restricted from the manufacturing floor as well.
Employees
We are taking measures to ensure the safety of all our employees—especially those on the manufacturing floor helping to make boxes:
- Remotely working may be an option for non-manufacturing personnel.
- Washing and sanitizing of hands is essential for all plant personnel.
- Frequent cleaning and sanitizing of break areas, doors handles, etc. is also essential.
- We’re staggering breaktimes to enhance social distancing.
- Mitigation-planning in the event of an infected employee needs to be developed. We plan to sanitize all surfaces that the person may have contacted and communicate with all employees that may have been exposed.
- Open, honest, and calm communication is key to navigating this with the workforce. We focus on the fact that this will pass. We just need to endure.
I’m sharing these lessons learned because I value the opportunity to learn and grow with my PPC peers. Working together, we not only elevate the industry for a promising future—we get through challenging times like this one.