Tyson Announces Resumption of Production
Tyson Foods is installing plastic barriers between work stations. (photo courtesy: Tyson Foods)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIt appears workers at the Tyson pork processing plant in Logansport will return to work this week. Arkansas-based Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN), has announced plans to resume limited production, beginning today.
The company suspended operations on April 25 to test its 2,200 team members for COVID-19.
“While the facility was idled, we added more workstation barriers, installed more hand sanitizer dispensers, and did additional deep cleaning and sanitation,” said Todd Neff, senior vice president pork.
On Friday, Governor Eric Holcomb announced the state will begin to ease restrictions on Monday May 4, but Cass County remains under his stay-at-home order until May 18. The county has approximately 1,400 positive cases of COVID-19, the third-highest number in the state.
The company took county and state health officials on a tour of the plant, as it prepares to reopen.
“We toured the plant and feel the additional measures implemented will allow employees to work safely, while continuing to follow CDC guidelines and recommendations,” said Dr. Dori Ditty, health officer of Cass County Health Department. “We’ll continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure the safety of employees.”
The company said workers who test positive or have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 will be directed to reach out to their health care provider and continue to self-isolate.
Workers who test negative will be asked to return to work, provided they remain asymptomatic, according to a company news release.
“We’re also now screening employees for additional symptoms and designating monitors to help enforce social distancing, while following the CDC and OSHA’s guidance for Meat and Poultry Processing Workers and Employers,” said Neff.
Tyson said it is instituting a mobile health clinic at the Logansport plant, operated by Matrix Medical Network, to provide community-based services ranging from diagnostic testing for COVID-19, assist with the environmental design of the facility to mitigate the risk of the virus spread, as well as conduct daily on-site clinical screening.