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May 6 Update: DENSO’s Approach to Industry Ramp-up, Safety Precautions & Return-to-Work Protocol

May. 6, 2020

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (May 6, 2020) As the auto industry aims to ramp up operations, DENSO is working closely with customers and supply chain partners to prepare for production increases and support automakers’ needs.

DENSO’s top priority is the safety of its employees, the communities in which it operates and its customers. To help ensure employees return to safe working environments across its North American locations, DENSO has developed a Risk Minimization Playbook to guide its safety measures and implement a phased return-to-work protocol aligned with governmental and industry guidelines. 

A Focus on Safety
DENSO’s Risk Minimization Playbook is a living document, which will be modified as circumstances require. It focuses on five core actions to help mitigate risk of spreading COVID-19.

1

Health Monitoring

DENSO is administering employee health evaluations prior to all facility entry.

2

Social Distancing

DENSO is implementing strict measures to encourage social distancing, restricting occupancy levels in communal areas, and where social distancing is difficult, installing barriers between workspaces.

3

Face covering requirement

DENSO is mandating all employees at DENSO facilities to wear face coverings, except when eating or at personal desks.

4

Disinfection of work areas

DENSO is increasing facility cleanings, frequently disinfecting work areas before shifts, at lunch and at shift close.

5

Hand-washing

DENSO is encouraging employees to wash their hands frequently, including before shifts, before and after breaks, at lunch and at shift’s end.

While COVID-19 Task Force Teams at all of DENSO’s North American locations will implement these guidelines based on circumstances at each site, they are unifying safety principles intended to keep employee health at the forefront of all operations, at all facilities.

 

Return-to-Work Protocol:
Since March 23, most of DENSO's production has stopped or slowed down, in accordance with government mandates and customer needs. However, some DENSO locations have continued to produce products deemed essential under government requirements, such as aftermarket and service parts, which involves a reduced number of active assembly lines.

As different parts of the region begin to return to work, DENSO is implementing a phased return-to-work protocol that, in addition to putting the safety of its employees and communities first, meets or exceeds government guidelines and aligns with industry best practices. DENSO believes increasing production is important, but it’s imperative it does so in a safe and methodical way. The phased approach is a slow ramp-up and continues to emphasize a work from home approach for office employees as much as feasible.

DENSO will provide more updates on its phased Return-to-Work protocol in the coming days.

 

For all DENSO’s responses to COVID-19, click here.