JCB have announced this week that they will partially restart production at 4 of their UK factories.
The decision was made following the establishment of a comprehensive package of safety measures to protect employees in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
The production line in JCB came to a halt on the 18th of March due to a fall in demand for their products and the vast majority of their 6,500 UK staff have been furloughed since April.
Safety measures
Only a fraction of the full production will resume under a number of safety measures, such as:
- Employees to self-assess for COVID-19 symptoms before leaving home;
- Temperature checks overseen by medical staff for every employee arriving for work;
- Issuing of surgical masks to office and shop floor employees;
- Provision of visors for shop floor employees for extra protection;
- Introduction of thermal imaging cameras at UK plants later this month;
- Widespread provision of hand sanitiser;
- Clearly-marked walkways and a reduction in office desks to maximise social distancing;
- Closure of canteen facilities and vending machines and suspension of car-sharing schemes;
- Disabling of lavatory hand dryers in favour of paper towels;
- Working from home for employees where at all possible.
The level of production resumed will satisfy the demand for agricultural machinery and an “exhaustive review” was undertaken before production recommenced.
JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald commented: “The health and safety of our employees is absolutely paramount as we all adjust to this new normal and the measures we have put in place will ensure we all stay healthy and avoid risks.”
400 staff return to work
The Loadall division at the World HQ, Rocester, Staffordshire, JCB Earthmovers and JCB Landpower in Cheadle, Staffordshire have resumed production along with JCB Transmissions in Wrexham and JCB Cab Systems at Uttoxeter. The move means a return to work for more than 400 employees.
