(Siloam Springs—April 20) Simmons announced today that it continues to adapt and enhance its COVID-19 protection measures throughout its operations to prevent the spread of the virus and keep team members as safe as possible.
“We are closely monitoring developments as health officials learn more about how to fight the spread of COVID-19 and we continue to follow evolving CDC guidance. As a result, we recently implemented enhanced prevention and protection measures for team members who are working in our production facilities and keeping our food supply strong,” says David Jackson, COO.
Those enhanced measures include temperature screenings for all team members and essential service providers entering Simmons facilities. For the protection of our team members, any individual with an elevated temperature will not be admitted to the facility, instead they will receive additional screening and will be referred for medical treatment as necessary.
The company is also providing face coverings and requiring team members to wear them when they are within six feet of others. To assist with physical distancing, operations teams are deploying a variety of strategies, including expanding outdoor common areas and increasing markings to delineate safe distances.
“These new measures offer an added layer of protection to the safety measures and thorough sanitation practices we already had in place. The necessary supplies and equipment can be challenging to source due to increased demand, but our safety and procurement teams have been working diligently to ensure we have them,” says David Jackson, COO.
Simmons protection measures also include following a strict response protocol in the event of potential exposure to COVID-19. The response protocols include quickly identifying and isolating exposure risks following CDC guidelines, conducting comprehensive sanitation processes, and working closely with local health officials.
From the early stages of this pandemic, Simmons has taken a clear stance on the importance of team members staying home when they are sick, have a fever or an exposure risk. The company has an established medical surveillance protocol in place involving occupational health professionals trained to identify potential COVID-19 signs and symptoms.
As a critical infrastructure industry, Simmons recognizes the importance of ensuring adequate food supplies during this crisis while also working to keep our team members safe.
About Simmons Foods, Inc. and Affiliates
Simmons is a vertically-integrated, leading supplier of poultry, pet food and animal nutrition headquartered in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Founded in 1949 in Arkansas, the company and its affiliates remain a privately-owned and family-led business.
With more than 70 years of experience, Simmons works with farmers, communities, and employees to serve its customers by providing quality and excellence. With more than 7,000 team members throughout North America, Simmons is committed to delivering innovative food products and services to the world.
For more information on Simmons Foods, Inc. and its Affiliates, please visit, simmonsfoods.com.
