14 MiMfg Magazine September 2020
declared emergency. In August, President Donald J.
Trump authorized an additional $300 per week in
enhanced benefits for eligible unemployment recipients,
and the Federal Emergency Management Administration
(FEMA) soon after approved of Michigan’s application
for the federal funding to assist an estimated
910,000 Michiganders.
Learn more about how the latest unemployment
updates are impacting your business on page 18.
Managing Workplace Safety
Manufacturers continue to be subject to strict
workplace safety requirements under Governor
Gretchen Whitmer’s various executive orders, most
recently updated in Executive Order 2020-161.
Franklin Fastener is a manufacturer of clamping
solutions in Redford, supplying the military,
transportation, and vehicle industries. Like many
small manufacturers, they are trying to stay updated
on changes to safety standards but admit it hasn’t
been easy.
“Because of all the new CDC guidelines, new
OSHA and MIOSHA standards and everything
else, it’s been challenging keeping up and there’s
been a constant sense of urgency that can weigh on a
business,” said Andrew Hayes, Vice President for
Franklin Fastener and representing the third generation
of the family-owned business. “We were considered
a critical manufacturer so we never shut down. That
in itself was good and bad. We weren’t facing some of
the difficult workforce decisions that other companies
did, but there was also no time to prepare for all the
changes — we had to be ready for this in real time.
It meant a lot of checking and double-checking to
be sure we were doing everything the right way.”
Resources for Your COVID-19 Workplace
Safety
Get industry-specific resources, fact sheets, checklists
and workplace safety guidelines for all employers from the
Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity
at michigan.gov/covidworkplacesafety.
Paid Leave
Connect with the Wage & Hour Division of the U.S.
Department of Labor for FFCRA assistance.
• Mildred Kress (Detroit)
313-309-4526 • [email protected]
• Jacob Swier (Grand Rapids)
616-719-5017 • [email protected]
Get More
Find the latest COVID-19-related regulations and additional
compliance resources at mimfg.org/covid19-resources
I would say one of the biggest challenges
for manufacturing’s HR professionals is
maintaining employee engagement....
Companies need solutions that can inform
their employees even from a distance.
— Rachel Piacentini, AFC-Holcroft
While some employees welcome the added safety
practices intended to help mitigate transmission
of the virus, others resent the imposition of new
requirements on an already safety-sensitive industry.
For manufacturers like Aludyne, managing the
concerns of employees on both ends of the spectrum
is necessary.
“It comes down to masks as being a safety measure
and, while we understand the discomfort and the
challenges they can present, adherence to these
policies is a requirement of employment like any
other workplace policy,” said Zbiegien. “Whether it
is the masks or social distancing or changes to the
facility floor plan, every step we’re taking is meant to
improve the safety and health of our employees
when they are here and when they go back home.”
Today, mitigating the spread of the virus through
social distancing, engineering controls and personal
protective equipment requires a commitment from
top-to-bottom.
“These requirements can be a compliance issue,
yes, but it’s also about reducing employee concerns
and instilling confidence that the workplace is a safe
place and that we’re all in this together,” said Hayes.
“We’ve heard good things from our team — they
recognize the importance and appreciate the steps
we’ve taken.”
Encouraging Continued Vigilance and
Preventing Further Outside Disruptions
Employer interest in worker safety extends beyond
their walls as COVID-19 exposure off-the-clock
can dramatically impact operations with delays
caused by self-isolation and additional sanitization.
MMA has been a leading voice in efforts to
prevent further workplace and economic disruption
and has vocalized the need for continued vigilance.
“Our continued vigilance is critical to the state’s
economic recovery. Ensuring worker safety is a
long-standing ethic in manufacturing,” said Walsh
in a statewide press release on the issue. “To help
keep everyone safe, we encourage everyone to practice
all of the safety practices recommended by leading
health experts, including social distancing, frequent
handwashing, and wearing masks in public places.”
Honigman’s Radler also sees additional risks for
manufacturers, saying that “you are now having to