This article is Part 2 of Welding Digest's two-part series on considerations for manufacturing during a pandemic. Read Part 1 here.

Returning to full production, safely

As many areas of the U.S. and much of the world reopen, businesses must adjust processes and procedures to meet new standards. While some government mandates are less strict than others, the following tips can be best practices for any manufacturer looking out for the health and safety of its staff.

When reopening or ramping up a production operation, flexibility and adaptability are key. Companies will be faced with new procedures, floor layouts and schedules. Actions like staggering shifts and break periods, mandating 30-minute transition periods between shifts and reorganizing to provide social distancing can minimize contact and keep coronavirus infection rates to a minimum.

While these actions are useful for conforming to local guidelines and policies, they can be disruptive to production. However, much like the new trends emerging to accommodate millennial workers in the manufacturing workforce, most manufacturers can find creative ways to maintain efficient production with flexible scheduling.

It is also helpful to vigorously train staff on new procedures and policies, not simply write them out and distribute them. Companies in many locales will need to adapt to increased sanitizing and disinfection practices, or have to stop sharing tools for a period of time. While these new activities seem simple enough on the surface, all workers must do them correctly and at the proper intervals, and any change in normal operations could be disruptive to morale and productivity if mishandled.

Finally, while many manufacturers are hamstrung by adverse financial conditions, businesses may have to invest in new technologies to ease the transition. Many tools and devices found on the production floor, such as barcode scanners, now have wearable hands-free versions. The transition back to pre-coronavirus work conditions could be the perfect time to invest in these productivity-enhancing tools.

Repurposing for the greater good

The past few months have seen countless news stories about manufacturers pivoting their operations during the pandemic to produce much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and face shields. Companies as diverse as Lego, Nike and hockey manufacturer Bauer have ceased producing their typical products and started manufacturing face masks and other PPE, with many producing tens of thousands of plastic masks per day.

Last month, Welding Digest focused on grassroots efforts for aiding healthcare workers and other essential staff. The last news item in that article described how U.K.-based Exmoor Welding crafted a life-size sculpture of a medic to highlight some of the heroes fighting on the “front lines” of the pandemic. This is an apt metaphor: while doctors, nurses and other essential staff are the visible front-line heroes, manufacturers continue to help behind the scenes.