Walmart Takes Additional Steps for Health and Safety of Associates
March 31 2020 - 6:36AM
Business Wire
Today, in a corporate blog post, John Furner, President &
CEO, Walmart U.S. and Kath McLay, President & CEO, Sam’s Club
released the following information:
As our company and country continue to deal with the spread of
COVID-19, we remain focused on the health and safety of our
associates.
We continue to follow and communicate the CDC’s recommended
guidance on behaviors like washing hands, social distancing, and
the cleaning of surfaces. And we have made significant operational
changes in our stores, clubs, DCs, and FCs this month -- such as
closing overnight for cleaning, installing sneeze guards at key
transaction points, using wipes and sprayers for carts, putting in
signing for social distancing, and implementing a COVID-19
emergency leave policy.
Today we’re sharing additional steps we’re taking to promote a
safe and healthy workplace.
Temperature checks
As the COVID-19 situation has evolved, we’ve decided to begin
taking the temperatures of our associates as they report to work in
stores, clubs and facilities, as well as asking them some basic
health screening questions. We are in the process of sending
infrared thermometers to all locations over the next 1-2 weeks.
Any associate with a temperature of 100.0 degrees will be sent
home, asked to seek medical treatment if necessary, and told to not
return to work until they are fever-free for at least 3 days.
Many associates have already been taking their own temperatures
at home, and we’re asking them to continue that practice as we
start doing it on-site. And we’ll continue to ask associates to
look out for other symptoms of the virus (coughing, feeling achy,
difficulty breathing) and never come to work when they don’t feel
well.
Our COVID-19 emergency leave policy allows associates to stay
home if they are ill or quarantined, knowing that their jobs will
be protected.
Masks and gloves
Today we are also sharing more guidance with our associates
regarding masks and gloves.
While the CDC, Walmart, and other health officials do not
recommend masks or gloves for healthy people who don't ordinarily
use them for their jobs, we will make them available—as supplies
permit—for associates who want to wear them.
The masks will begin arriving this week. They will not be N-95
respirators – which should be reserved for at-risk healthcare
workers – they will be high-quality masks.
We encourage anyone who would like to wear a mask or gloves at
work to ask their supervisor for them, while keeping in mind that
they are not necessary, and that it is still possible to spread
germs while wearing them.
6-20-100 guidance
This week we are also sharing a new framework with associates
regarding maintaining healthy behaviors at work. We are asking them
to remember three numbers: 6, 20, and 100.
6 feet is the among of space people should keep from others,
when possible, to maintain social distancing.
20 seconds is the among of time people should take to wash their
hands with soap and water.
And 100 is the temperature that someone should stay home
with.
---
We will continue to consult with health officials and experts
inside and outside Walmart as this situation evolves. We greatly
appreciate the work our associates are doing for customers,
members, and their communities, and will continue to prioritize
their health and well-being.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200331005374/en/
Kory Lundberg, Jami Lamontagne, Lorenzo Lopez: 800-331-0085
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