As a responsible company, Borealis continues to enact additional measures to protect the health and safety of its employees and contractors during the coronavirus pandemic. The strong focus on occupational health in particular is illustrated by the installation of a pilot fever-scanning cabin at production facilities in Kallo, Belgium.
The turnaround* currently taking place at the Kallo plant requires Borealis employees and contractors to use heightened safety measures to maintain essential operations. An on-site coordination team quickly identified the need to screen the large number of workers, contractors, hauliers and others entering the site for COVID-19 symptoms. By nimbly adapting an existing central concept to meet Kallo’s needs, the local Borealis team was able to install a pilot version of an infrared fever scanner within a week. The scanner can detect even mild symptoms of fever. Because no personal data is collected or stored in the process, the activity is in line with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.
A number of other Borealis production locations have now started to adapt and roll out these scanner cabins at their own facilities. In the meantime, stations are already running in Geleen, The Netherlands and Beringen, Belgium, as well as Burghausen, Germany.
“We see this successful pilot project as a great illustration of Borealis’ focus on safety, innovation capabilities and creativity. Within only one week our team at Kallo was able to go from idea-stage to successful implementation”, comments Alfred Stern, Borealis CEO. “Life demands progress, now more than ever. I am proud of my colleagues, be it on site or at home, who continue to re-invent for more sustainable living and ensure safe operations, also during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
* A turnaround is a scheduled event wherein an entire process unit of an industrial plant is taken offstream for an extended period for scheduled revamp and/or renewal.
