"The health and safety of our employees, their families and communities is our shared priority," Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and senior executive in the Pacific Northwest, is quoted as saying in the company's news release. "This phased approach ensures we have a reliable supply base, our personal protective equipment is readily available and we have all of the necessary safety measures in place to resume essential work for our customers."
The release also notes that Boeing has "instituted comprehensive procedures" and has "taken extra precautions" to ensure the safety of its employees during the pandemic.
The report notes that around 27,000 people in the Puget Sound region will restart production on the 747, 767, 777 and 787 airplane models.
"The 737 program will resume working toward restarting production of the 737 MAX. Boeing South Carolina remains in a suspension of operations at this time. Earlier this week Boeing restarted mostly defense production operations in the region with approximately 2,500 people," the release adds.
The news release also lists practices the company has put in place during the COVID-19 outbreak, including "staggered shift start times to reduce the flow of employees arriving and departing work," "visual controls such as floor markings and signage to create physical distance" and mandatory face-covering for employees at certain sites.
On April 6, Boeing announced it was extending the temporary closure of several facilities in the Puget Sound region, including those in Renton and Everett, “until further notice.” They have been closed since March 25, as Washington was one of the first areas to experience a COVID-19 outbreak in the United States.
