In partnership with the South African government, Ford is producing protective face shields which will be donated to front-line medical and essential services personnel most at risk of contracting the coronavirus.
The motor manufacturer company commenced with the production of 57000 protective face shields at the Silverton plant in Pretoria, and they plan to ramp up production to at least half a million. Ford has approached its suppliers and business partners to help.
The shields, which wrap around the user’s face, are being produced to global health standards, using a clear polyethene shield, polyurethane foam padding and an elastic latex fabric headband to keep it in place. Each unit is packaged with clear instructions on how to wear the shield correctly, along with cleaning and storage guidelines.
They are designed to be reusable and sanitised after each use. Ford will cover all the labour costs for assembly and packaging, and supplier companies are assisting with materials, boxes and other packaging materials, as well as transport. The government and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have deemed the masks as a crucial part of personal protective equipment for medical personnel who are at the greatest risk of exposure to the virus.
“With South Africa on lockdown and our plants not operating at the moment, we felt that it was essential for us to use our manufacturing capacity and expertise to contribute to the efforts of the South African government, private healthcare institutions and humanitarian organisations to contain the spread of COVID-19, and to care for those infected with the virus,” said Ockert Berry, Vice-President of Operations for Ford in South.
Individuals and companies wishing to contribute to this initiative can send an e-mail to socialme@ford.com, using the reference: Ford SA COVID-19. All contributions will exclusively be used to purchase the kits for the face shields.
