GREENFIELD, Ind. — At the Cambria plant in Greenfield, the 7:00 a.m. shift starts with workers standing in line just inside the entrance, six feet apart, for a social distancing touchless temperature check. A thermal camera makes sure no one clocks in with a fever.
The magic number is 99 degrees Fahrenheit. If a worker's body temperature scans above that, then they go through an additional screening process.
"It gives me a good peace of mind,” said April Webster, who has worked at the Cambria plant for three-and-a-half years. “It shows that everybody takes care of each other and that the company cares. We don't have to be stuck at home. We can come to work and be safe and go home."
Cambria makes natural quartz surfaces for tables and countertops. Labor in the custom fabrication facility cannot be done remotely. That requires a plant free from COVID-19 infection.
"It's not only the plant and production and everything, but your concern is your folks that work for you,” said plant manager Marcus Johnson. “We don't want people ill. We don't want anybody here at risk or their family at home at risk."
Some people pride themselves on not missing work. Other feel they can’t afford to miss work. But the days of toughing it out on the job when you don't feel well are going away during the pandemic.
"Have I come to work with a fever? No, I have not,” said Cambria employee Penny Jennings. “Have I come to work sick? Yes, I have and plenty of years I've done that. But now it's a different time in life. You can't do that because of what the issue is."
Every tenth employee checking in gets a backup screen with a digital thermometer for quality control. Cambria has also enhanced its cleaning regimen and requires social distancing throughout the plant. Cambria has been using the Venue Screen thermal camera technology for about a month. Johnson says no one has scanned above 99 degrees or been sent home for coming to work with a fever at the Greenfield plant.
The company is headquartered in Minnesota and has installed thermal cameras at all of its facilities across the country.