Apple’s supply chain is making safety changes to protect workers

Factories have implemented new floor plans to ensure social distancing

The changes Apple is making at the factory-level has been outlined in their 2020 Supplier Responsibility report. (REUTERS)

Apple's global supply chain has been making safety changes to protect its workers over the Covid-19 pandemic. The changes they are making have all been outlined in their 2020 Supplier Responsibility report.

Apple's senior vice president of operations and the person in charge of the company's global supply chain, Sabih Khan, has detailed changes the suppliers are making in a letter at the beginning of the report.

The tech giant has worked with the global supply chain “on a range of protections suited to the circumstances in each country, including health screenings, limiting density, and ensuring strict adherence to social distancing in their facilities,” wrote Khan.

According to the letter, Apple has indicated the use of personal protective equipment during work in all common areas and the company has worked with supply chain partners to “implement enhanced deep cleaning protocols” and ensure masks and sanitisers are available to all workers.

Factory floor plans have also been changed along with the implementation of flexible working hours and staggered work shifts to make sure workers can maximise “interpersonal space”, Khan wrote.

“From the outset, we worked with our suppliers to develop and execute a plan that puts the health of people first. Thousands of Apple employees have worked tirelessly to execute that plan in partnership with our suppliers around the world,” Khan added.

Apple CEO Tim Cook, according to reports, had informed employees in April that that company would probably be implementing temperature checks and social distancing when staffers returned to offices. Apple might be reopening some of its offices soon along with some of its stores in the US.