Ford is trialling wristbands that vibrate when employees come within six feet of each other to ensure social distancing in its factories during the coronavirus crisis
- Ford is reportedly trialling the vibrating bracelets on a dozen employees
- Staff will be buzzed by the accessory if they come within 6ft of someone else
- The trial at a Ford factory in Plymouth, Michigan could be rolled out to all Ford employees when the firm resumes operations
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
Ford is giving a small number of employees still working in its factories electric bracelets that vibrate when they get within six feet of another person.
It is hoped the buzzing bracelet will remind workers to be vigilant about social distancing measures and stay apart, in accordance with official health guidelines.
Bloomberg reports that a dozen members of staff at a Ford factory in Plymouth, Michigan are currently trialling the technology.
It remains unclear if the bracelets have been manufactured in-house by Ford or by a third-party.
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Ford is reportedly trialling vibrating social distancing bracelets on a dozen employees at a factory in Michigan. Ford has already established workstations at least six feet away from each other and reports state the automotive giant will provide staff with masks and, in some cases, plastic face shields (pictured, Ford employee putting together a face shield)
It is hoped the initiative will be continued and expanded once the majority of Ford employees return to work after lockdown.
Kelli Felker, a company spokeswoman, told Bloomberg: ‘Ford and the United Auto Workers union are working closely to identify different ways to keep our people safe while they are at work.’
Ford shut down production in its factories in mid-March and has delayed reopening them several times due to the ongoing global lockdown, to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
In a recent statement, Kumar Galhotra, president of Ford North America, said Ford will go ahead with plans to produce ventilators at its Rawsonville Components Plant starting April 20. it is hoped the company will be making 75,000 by the end of July (pictured)
It initially earmarked April 6 as its reopening date, but now it is believed Ford will not resume operation in any capacity until next month.
In a recent statement, Kumar Galhotra, president of Ford North America, said Ford will go ahead with plans to produce ventilators at its Rawsonville Components Plant starting April 20.
That production process will be supported by the UAW and will use paid volunteer UAW workers.
It is currently unclear if the volunteers making the ventilators are the same volunteers trialling the vibrating bracelets.
Ford has already established workstations at least six feet away from each other and reports state the automotive giant will provide staff with masks and, in some cases, plastic face shields.
Workers will also purportedly be subjected thermal image scanning in or to detect signs of a fever, a telltale symptom of COVID-19.
Ford has announced it expects to make a $600million pre-tax loss in the first quarter of 2020 due to coronavirus.
Compared to the same time last year, the company experienced a 21 per cent drop in sales.