Ford Dearborn truck plant stops production after employee tests positive for COVID-19
DEARBORN, Mich. (FOX 2) - Just days back at work and Ford Motor Company has already been forced to temporarily shut down one of its metro Detroit plants due to the coronavirus.
The Dearborn truck plant halted production to deep clean the facility after an employee there tested positive for the virus.
Ford says it also notified those in close contact with the infected employee and asked them to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Production has resumed but only after several workers refused to show up for work.
Paul Eisenstein from the Detroit Bureau reports Ford threatened to fire them, so the workers reported for their nightshift.
Ford released a statement about the Dearborn work stoppage Wednesday:
"Tonight, a small group of employees at Dearborn Truck Plant raised concerns after Ford communicated that an employee on an earlier shift had tested positive for COVID19. Following our global safety protocol, Ford had already thoroughly cleaned and disinfected the plant areas affected prior to the night shift. We talked with our employees to calm their fears and resumed production tonight."
A Ford assembly plant in Chicago was shut down Tuesday after a worker tested positive for COVID-19. The Chicago plant re-opened tonight.
Regarding the Dearborn employee testing positive, the company said in a statement:
"The safety of our workforce is our top priority. When a Dearborn Truck Plant employee who returned to work this week tested positive for COVID-19, we immediately began to notify people known to have been in close contact with the infected individual and asked them to self-quarantine for 14 days.
"We are deep cleaning and disinfecting the work area, equipment, team area and the path that the team member took. We expect to resume production tonight. It is important to note that due to incubation time, we know this employee did not contract COVID-19 while at work. Our protocols are in place to help stop the spread of the virus."