The Environmental Safety department’s role is to ensure all hazards are preemptively recognized and controlled to promote a safe workplace for all. Workplace safety encompasses all factors that impact the safety, health, and well-being of all personnel at Bay cities. This is inclusive of, but not limited to: environmental, chemical, physical, and biological hazards.
The year 2020 brought forth COVID-19 as our largest hazard at Bay Cities within a matter of weeks. COVID-19 has resulted in various new procedures and modifications of our social practices. From drastically diminishing the occupancy of our buildings, to having everyone on-premises wipe away any biological trace via chemicals and disinfecting technology, we are determined in keeping our workplace a safe atmosphere for all, in addition to being a reliable source of production for our clients.
This year has prompted many modifications to our safety culture, that continue to be fortified by the influences of our response to the global pandemic. For instance, in addition to our standard cleaning crew, four individuals have been hired in the Pico Rivera offices (plant, Packout, and offices) to regularly clean heavy traffic areas on each shift throughout the day, using medical-grade cleaning supplies. In Manufacturing, Digital, and Packout, social distancing has been implemented. Each machine and control center are being cleaned down at the start and end of each shift. These high contact areas are also wrapped in a new sheet of saran wrap after each shift.
Plexiglass has been engineered into our common work areas, such as our lunchrooms and conference rooms, to ensure a physical barrier and distance between employees. Hand sanitizer can be found at each machine center, kiosk, and many other shared spaces to encourage constant sanitation throughout the day. We have acquired an ultraviolet sanitizing system, that is used daily in communal spaces and our machine centers. The UV sanitizer kills pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, by damaging the cell’s DNA resulting in the cell’s loss of ability to properly function and replicate.
In further efforts to provide a hygienic workplace, five Thermal-Infrared Kiosks have been purchased and installed throughout facilities, which has applied a no-touch entrance into the facilities and a no-touch check-in for vendors, customers, and employees. Our kiosks can achieve an accurate temperature reading in under a second. Bay Cities took safety to the next level by installing UV sanitizing lights into our HVAC systems. The UV helps eradicate COVID-19 and other microorganisms suspended in the air instantly, which is extremely valuable in eliminating the chance of airborne transmission. Having the ultraviolet installation within our HVAC also helps remove organic build-up within our ducts, that would otherwise circulate through our air systems.
Workplace safety will always begin and end with our employees in mind and with our responsibility to accomplish our clients’ requests. A multitude of these practices will remain even as we overcome COVID-19. Continuing to adopt many of these changes into our perpetual standards will allow us to advance into a more proactive establishment prepared to take on any subsequent calamity. This is how the environmental and safety department has been able to contribute to our customers' success.
Want to learn more? Check out https://www.bay-cities.com/about/operations/safety/.