Don’t let uncertainty feed the fear of manufacturing’s future

Poet Walt Whitman once wrote that the future is no more uncertain than the present.

Although described in poetry circles as a humanist, Whitman also was a skeptic and pragmatic realist. What he understood then, and what we are all learning now, is that the future is unknowable, and the present, ephemeral.

We should put as much focus as we can on the now. That means facing the boogeyman called COVID-19.

If your business has been deemed “essential,” you are probably doing more with less. However, this is something that manufacturers have been practicing for some time.

Shops have many options for setting up work during this time. Skeleton crews working on a rotating basis and multiple shifts that don’t overlap are just two examples. Reducing the number of workers interacting with each other allows for the mandatory social distancing that needs to take place. Simply put, having fewer people on the shop floor means that if one worker has COVID-19, he or she is less likely to infect the larger group.

If you are working with multiple shifts, it’s also a good idea to eliminate movement of workers between the shifts, including supervisors. This can help eliminate cross-shift contamination.

According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety (CCOHS), physical distancing, even at work, is important to help control the spread of the virus.

The CCOHS recommends that, as much as possible, a 2-metre distance be maintained between workers. The installation of Plexiglas or other barriers may also need to be performed.

Foot traffic patterns should be controlled to reduce bottlenecks at natural meeting points, such as washrooms, lunchrooms, and other shared spaces. Travel paths also can be organized so workers do not have to pass each other closely; for example, one set of stairs for climbing up and another for climbing down.

The CCOHS also has created a set of general site management tips:

1. Notify workers in advance if there are changes to screening measures and facility entrance policies.
2. Make sure washrooms are cleaned frequently; have running water; and are stocked with soap, paper towels, and plastic-lined waste containers.
3. Stagger meetings, breaks, team talks, and orientations to minimize the number of workers in one place.
4. Hold in-person meetings outdoors or in large areas that allow for physical distancing.
5. Communicate corporate information electronically, or wash hands after handling papers.
6. Hold worker orientations verbally to avoid touching papers.

However this all plays out, manufacturers must be ready to adapt to the new normal, whether that is next month, next quarter, or next year. We mustn’t let the uncertainty of the future override the importance of now.