Press Release UPDATE: No further infections after second facility-wide PCR test (16 MARCH 2021, 5 pm):
Greven/ Ibbenbüren, 16 March 2021 – Following a first facility-wide PCR test conducted this past week, a second facility-wide test was conducted on all employees at the Ibbenbüren location yesterday. The results are now available and show that there are no new infections. In total 107 people thus tested positive at the location. This figure includes the cases determined last week already for people in quarantine.
“That is great news for all of us. Stepping up our hygiene protocols has worked and helped us to keep the occurrence of infections at our location under control”, the location’s manager Detlev Hornhues emphasised.
FIEGE tightens health and safety protocols with further set of measures (12 March 2021, 5 PM)
Greven/ Ibbenbüren, 12 March 2021 – After conferring with the crisis task force, FIEGE has adopted a set of measures which yet again clearly tighten the comprehensive hygiene protocol in effect at the location in Ibbenbüren, especially in relation to the British virus variant. According to the location manager, Detlev Hornhues, the goal of these measures is to “protect the health of our employees as best as possible. We meet this development with these decidedly more stringent measures.”
The set of measures include in detail:
- FFP2 masks are mandatory across the premises (will be provided free of charge)
- installation of a permanent test centre (especially for people returning from a trip or holidays, newcomers, and visitors)
- free self-testing kits for all employees working at the location
- additional facility-wide testing at the location is being discussed with the crisis task force
- extending the mandatory minimum distance to two metres
- increasing the ventilation intervals to an air change rate of a minimum 3.5 times (rate of fresh air turnover per square metre), also with the help of ventilating fans
- stepping up information about protective action in all languages commonly spoken at the location
The measures have already been implemented. They supplement or substitute the current comprehensive protocols that were introduced at the location at the beginning of the pandemic. This includes, for example:
- formation of a crisis task force at the beginning of the pandemic (which convenes regularly)
- identification of processes/ people at the location that are critical for a specifically defined pandemic plan
- mandatory wearing of masks
- visits by non-company guests and the participation in conferences is preceded by the mandatory request to voluntary provide information about oneself (information for visitors includes the health and safety protocols; visitors voluntarily providing information on themselves; the written confirmation of receipt of the health and safety protocols)
- individuals showing signs of illness are prohibited from accessing the location
- meetings are held virtually only
- offer to work from home (where possible)
- entrance door/ doors are consistently open
- stepping up of cleaning and hygiene in all areas
- dispenser with sanitiser in all washrooms/ central locations
- stocking up on towels, soap, and sanitiser
- communication protocol for personnel (information materials via monitors in canteen, information in multiple languages on notice boards)
- explanation of hygiene protocols through notice boards (multiple languages):
- notice board: wearing of masks
- specifying the maximum number of people permitted in offices/ conference rooms + explanation of hygiene protocols
- distancing 1.5 mtr
- notices in the washrooms on how to wash hands correctly
- notices on sneezing and coughing etiquette
- notices asking to sanitise one’s hands
- splitting of shifts by varying the break times
- restricting the number of persons permitted in the canteen
- installing additional areas for breaks
- airing intervals via skylights 15 minutes per hour
- contractual provisions about the cooperation with all personnel agencies subject to compliance with tighter hygiene protocols during the pandemic, especially the commute to work and accommodation of non-company employees
- annual flu jab made available to all employees on location
