Springdale, Arkansas-headquartered Tyson Foods has deployed walk-through infrared body temperature scanners at three of its meat processing plants in the United States as a further measure to keep the deadly coronavirus contagion out of its facilities.
“We’re working hard to protect our team members during this ever-changing situation, while also ensuring we continue fulfilling our critical role of helping feed people across the country,” said CEO Noel White. “We’ve been taking the temperature of workers at all of our locations before they enter company facilities. We’re mostly using temporal thermometers but at a few locations we’re beginning to implement infrared temperature scanners.”
The company has also stepped up deep cleaning and sanitizing its facilities, especially in employee break rooms and locker rooms and other areas, to enhance food safety. This additional cleaning sometimes requires suspending at least one day of production.
Tyson’s meat and poultry plants are experiencing varying levels of production impact, due to the planned implementation of additional worker safety precautions and employee absenteeism.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we have suspended operations at our Columbus Junction, Iowa, pork plant this week due to more than two dozen cases of Covid-19 involving team members at the facility,” said White. “In an effort to minimize the impact on our overall production, we’re diverting the livestock supply originally scheduled for delivery to Columbus Junction to some of our other pork plants in the region.”
Bonus Pay Coming Workers’ Way
Meanwhile, the company announced last week that it will pay approximately $60 million in “thank you” bonuses to 116,000 frontline workers and Tyson trucker drivers in the United States who support operations to provide food during the coronavirus crisis. Eligible employees will receive a $500 payment during the first week of July. The bonuses are in addition to other efforts to support workers, plant communities and livestock producers during the global pandemic.
Furthermore, the company has committed $13 million to support critical needs in local communities where it operates in response to the Covid-19 crisis. This includes $2 million in grants that will be allocated to non-profit organizations to help support Tyson employees and the local community. Investments will be focused on non-profit partners providing emergency response efforts such as rent and utility assistance, food distribution, health care, childcare, small business support and other economic recovery services.
