FCA implements safety measures in preparation for N.A. restart

DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles on Tuesday released plans detailing how it will resume North American production next week.

The automaker is implementing new policies in its U.S. and Canada manufacturing centers to ensure that cleanliness and social distancing are in line with the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

"We have drawn on our collective global expertise and best practices to rethink our production processes to put in place comprehensive protocols to keep our work force safe," FCA CEO Mike Manley said in a statement.

In preparation for reopening in North America, FCA cleaned and disinfected more than 57 million square-feet of production floor and will implement a daily health risk assessment that must be completed by employees.

The assessment consists of employees taking their temperature less than two hours before reporting to work and completing a self-screening questionnaire.

FCA also is working to install thermal-imaging cameras to verify what employees have reported on the assessment, according to the statement.

To ensure social distancing, more than 17,000 workstations were analyzed to adhere to the 6-foot rule and many job areas were redesigned with the installation of protective barriers.

Employees will be required to wear company-provided masks and safety glasses at all times in the plants and 10 minutes per shift will be dedicated to cleaning workstations.

"We have taken a 'belt and suspenders' approach to mitigating the spread of this virus by implementing lots of layers of protection," Scott Garberding, FCA's global chief manufacturing officer, said in the statement. "You are a key part of successfully resuming operations," he said of employees.

"In this new environment, we all need to take responsibility for our own safety and that of the people around us. An effective startup will require detailed understanding, teaching, coaching and patience from all of us."