SHIPYARD ADDS MORE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Review of COVID-19 cases among workers brings tighter rules

Shipyard officials’ review of the yard’s 21 confirmed COVID-19 cases has produced a rare, detailed look at how the coronavirus spreads, as well as new steps the yard wants shipbuilders to take to protect themselves and the community at large.

The key point, Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin said in a message to employees: “More social distancing keeps us all safer.”

She said nearly half of the 120 quarantines were the result of contact with only two cases.

“In both of these confirmed cases, the employees worked in areas that easily lent themselves to social distancing solutions, not on a ship nor in a shop, and employees did not socially distance themselves from their coworkers,” she said.

One case involved an employee who was riding in vehicles with co-workers shortly before feeling ill. The other was the result of employees visiting a co-worker who was sick at home.

On the other hand, nine

confirmed cases involved people who first felt ill at home and followed the yard’s policy of staying home until they could be tested. That means in four cases, nobody else needed to be quarantined. In the other five, only a few individuals needed isolation.

“Many of you shared how challenging this is in production areas where team members work in close quarters to perform complex work. We made some changes in these areas, and I know more are required,” Boykin said.

But, she noted, almost half the shipyard’s coronavirus cases involved people who work in an office or outside of the shipyard — that is, in environments where the kind of sideby-side work of shipfitters, welders, painters and others working on ships or in closed, tight spaces is sometimes necessary.

The yard’s current procedures for workers in those situations include providing masks, face shields, respirators or other personal protective equipment, making tool handle extensions available, limiting the time people can work less than 6 feet apart to a few minutes, erecting curtains or other barriers between work spaces and ventilation changes.

“Based on what we know about how the virus transmits, and based on my commitment to put the safety of our employees above all else, we all need to enforce greater social distancing,” Boykin said.

As of Monday, she said, that means all employees must bring a mask to work and wear it if within 6 feet of anyone else. Drivers should limit the number of riders on shipyard trucks, mules and other vehicles, and all riders must wear masks.

The yard will mark walkways to make sure employees using them are far enough apart.

At the end of the shift, the release of workers will be staggered, beginning five minutes before the shift change whistle. Driving restrictions will be extended to 10 minutes before and 10 minutes after the shift change whistle, instead of the current 10 minutes after shift change.

“Finally, I cannot stress enough, if you feel ill, please stay at home. And if you are well, but do not feel comfortable coming to work, please remember you can take liberal leave,” she said.