SMITHFIELD, R.I. (WPRI) ─ A Honeywell employee working at the factory currently mass-producing personal protective equipment for front-line workers has tested positive for COVID-19, a spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.
Honeywell spokesperson Eric Krantz confirmed the single case at the company’s factory in Smithfield, telling Eyewitness News the employee hasn’t reported to work in nearly a week.
“We wish the individual a speedy recovery,” Krantz said in a statement. “Out of an abundance of caution, we performed a deep clean of the facility in addition to our regular, enhanced cleanings that have been in place for each shift for several weeks.”
Honeywell was tapped back in March to manufacture crucial N95 protective masks for the national stockpile. The company later said it would need to hire 500 people to run the operation.
The masks created at Honeywell are being delivered to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and subsequently distributed by the federal government to various states.
Krantz said the facility has strict safety protocols in place, “including restricting access to the facility and mandating that anyone who enters complete a screening process that includes temperature checks.”
“We have also implemented social distancing protocols throughout the site, and we have required employees to wear masks in accordance with site rules,” he added.
