Forster Tool COVID-19 Prevention and Containment Plan

Forster Tool & Manufacturing will do the following to help prevent and contain not only COVID-19 but Influenza and any other viruses that could impact our company in any way. 

We will use health messages and materials developed by credible public health sources such as the Cook County health department or CDC to encourage our employees to practice good personal health habits. We will promote everyday preventive actions to our employees to help prevent and contain any infections of COVID-19 or other viruses, which include:

• Staying home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 60 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily.

We have provided COVID-19 prevention supplies at our company including but not limited to: sinks with disinfectant soap, hand sanitizes, tissues, and disposable face-masks. Those who become sick will be immediately isolated from all other employees, asked to go home or to a doctor, and after they leave the premises our 5S committee will ensure that the entire facility is disinfected immediately. For employee absences, we have developed flexible attendance and personal leave policies. Employees need to stay home when they are sick.

We have identified critical job functions and positions and planned for alternative coverage by cross-training our employees. We have circulated flyers that discourage people who are sick from coming to work. This includes messages requesting that people leave if they begin to have symptoms of COVID-19, which include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. They should seek medical advice promptly by calling ahead to a doctor’s office or emergency room to get guidance.

We have found ways to limit person to person contact of our employees. Several ways to do this include offering employees the option to work remotely if they can perform their job duties off-site, using email, and conducting meetings by phone or video conferencing.

We have the capability to reduce the number of employees needed such as staggering shifts for staff who support essential functions. We understand that a COVID-19 outbreak could last for an extended amount of time. We will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of our prevention and containment plan. We will routinely meet with our managers to discuss any new ideas and identify any gaps in our plan.

We have reached out to our major suppliers to ask if they anticipate any disruptions in our supply chain in any capacity. We have been reassured that any disruption in China will not impact our supply chain in any way. All of the material we use is DFAR compliant and doesn’t come from or through China at all.