Wacker Chemical Corporation: ‘We Must Stay Safe, Be Patient, and Stand Together’
July 31, 2020Why did Wacker take the #MaskUpMichigan pledge?
The safety of our employees, our customers, and our community has always been a critical value for Wacker Chemical Corporation. To master the challenges induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, we must stay safe, be patient, and stand together. As a company that provides critical formulations for potential COVID-19 anti-viral medications, medical devices, wound care, PPE, and related products, we have maintained operations throughout the pandemic while introducing many safety protocols. This has included the daily use of masks, which we have provided daily to all on-site team members, required of all site visitors and guests, beginning in early April. We are proud to share our commitment across the state through the #MaskUpMichigan campaign.
Is Wacker doing anything unique or specific to encourage face covering (mask or shields) among employees and/or customers?
Since the beginning of April, Wacker has consistently provided face masks to all our team members working on-site, and we will continue this practice. Masks are provided at the beginning of each shift for every team member as they enter our sites. Visitors are also required to wear face masks and are not allowed to enter without one. We also encourage our team members to use face masks in their personal lives; in addition to the daily masks we provide on-site, we also mailed each on-site and remote worker in the nation two reusable face masks for use outside the workplace or to share with family members.
Has Wacker reopened? If so, please share the safety protocols and precautions that have been put in place since reopening to keep employees and customers safe.
Wacker provides our customers with formulations for health care, medical devices, and related products used to fight the spread of COVID-19, so we have been exempt from shelter-in-place orders and business restrictions and continued operations open with no interruptions throughout the pandemic. We have put safety protocols in place to keep team members safe while continuing to meet our customers’ needs to support products such as respirator masks; IV sets, needle-free valves; medical tape and wound care adhesives; flushable wipes, and anti-viral medications.
We have banned all business travel. To minimize the number of people interacting on-site, we moved employees whose work can be performed remotely to remote work. We also staggered onsite schedules and required safe distancing of at least six feet between individuals who are working in our labs and manufacturing facilities. Daily, before entering any site, team members and visitors must have their temperatures taken and complete health questionnaires. In addition, Wacker has enhanced sanitation measures to supplement our standard cleaning routines.
Please share anything additional Wacker is doing to keep employees and customers safe during this time.
Wacker also remains committed to the health and safety of our communities. While we had not manufactured hand sanitizer on-site prior to the pandemic, out of concern for the shortages in our communities, we began doing this and have now manufactured more than 6,300 liters of hand sanitizer for donation to local fire departments, senior living centers, health care services, and other community organizations.
We have a three-phased return-to-site plan for the return of larger numbers of team members to the on-site workplace and have not yet moved out of “phase zero” given continued concerns about the slow-down of the COVID-19 spread. The launch of each phase will take place only when we have met a detailed set of safety criteria and we are confident that all team members can do their jobs on-site in a manner that is safe for everyone.
Wacker understands that this is a time of uncertainty for our team members. A Coronavirus Crisis Team of our senior leaders meets twice weekly to respond to team member and customer questions and concerns, continuously evaluate and adapt our safety practices.