Louisiana plant managers ready to ‘return to normal’

As the COVID-19 pandemic starts to subside due to the growing availability of vaccines, industry leaders are examining health and safety protocols that were put in place when the virus started spreading in early 2020.

Most are continuing to adhere to strict guidelines in terms of if and when nonessential workers will return to sites after working remotely for more than a year. Other companies are even offering vaccinations on-site to their employees to facilitate a speedier transition to a safer workplace.

Eric Walker, vice president of operations for Sasol, explained that his company is "not in a hurry" for employees to return to a more normal, on-premises work schedule.

"I wish that we could say that we are right away. What we've seen lately in the news is that Texas, Louisiana and others have relaxed some of their protocols and are moving into different phases, but we still think that preserving our operations is key," Walker said during a recent virtual LCA and LCIA plant managers panel. "Part of preserving our operations is making sure we have the workforce on-site safely to make the products we need to make."

Sasol employees are continuing the same protocols that have been in place for a year, with essential workers on-site as needed.

"Nonessential workers like clerical staff, finance and others are able to work remotely," Walker said. "We've put in a lot of technology to allow people to work and perform their job functions remotely. That was a challenge and an adjustment, but a year later, we are getting pretty proficient with it."

Sasol employees have been assured they will be given "plenty of notice before we require them to come back to our site and change our protocols drastically because their lifestyles have changed, as they now work remotely and deal with their family members," Walker said. "We plan to give them plenty of time, at least 30 days' notice, before we change any kind of work condition."

Walker said he anticipates that return to the site will occur at some point during the summer months.

"We're not in a hurry," he reiterated. "We want to make sure we make the smart, safe decision at the right time."

Hyun Brossett, plant manager for W.R. Grace, emphasized that her company has adopted a similar "return to work" strategy.

"We don't see ourselves going back to a normal schedule anytime soon," Brossett said, adding that Grace's leaders are watching COVID-19 infection trends very closely, not only locally but also at the corporate level with the guidance of the company's COVID-19 response team.

Visitors to the Grace site are required to share their company's COVID-19 policy, which must be at least as stringent as Grace's policy. If it is not, visitors are refused entry until safety protocols are met.

"And I don't see that changing anytime soon, mainly because when you look at our parish and our community, people are still getting infected," Brossett said. "We look at our policies every day to make sure we are not increasing risk for our community."

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate

Curtis Brescher, director of operations for Westlake Chemical, said his company contracts with Business Health Partners, offering COVID-19 inoculations on-site to Sasol employees.

According to a poll of Westlake employees, approximately 30 percent are interested in getting the vaccine, Brescher said.

"There is a lot of misinformation out there people are getting on the internet, so we're trying to be the conduit to provide good information and educate them," he said.

Brescher believes that individuals' fear of receiving the vaccine may be based on how new it is.

"I think this apprehension and misinformation is keeping the number [of vaccinated] lower than we'd like to see it. People are waiting to see how everyone else [reacts]," he said. "I think as they see others get it and do well with it, that number is going to increase."