PhosAgro efforts have been highly praised

PhosAgro package of measures to counter the spread of coronavirus has earned praise from virologists for its effectiveness. This announcement was made at a meeting of the company’s emergency response team to combat coronavirus infection, led by PhosAgro CEO Andrey Guryev. In addition to the management of the company and enterprises, well-known specialists in the field of virology and the fight against epidemic diseases joined the team as scientific consultants.

The comprehensive prevention program had been developed with the active participation of specialists from leading scientific centers of Russia, and its practical implementation was also given high praise at the meeting praised.

“It is great that the company is attracting science to tackle the spread of coronavirus. Today the task is to protect the staff of large industrial enterprises and residents of the cities of their presence from the novel virus infection. PhosAgro, in this respect, is one of the leaders in the country – comprehensive measures are being taken to curb the spread of coronavirus. Emergency response teams are organized everywhere, and they work very effectively. In conditions of high epidemic danger, the enterprises are operating in a special mode, which covers all stages, from transporting employees to workplaces to a special access procedure to the production site, to ensure safe working conditions,” said Nikolai Filatov, Deputy Director for Science at the I. Mechnikov Research Institute for Vaccines and Sera. “Today, a person is more protected on the territory of PhosAgro enterprises than outside. For example, in some grocery stores, not all salespersons are provided with masks.”

“At the moment, all possible anti-epidemic measures have been imposed at PhosAgro enterprises,” said Petr Dmitriev, Head of Niarmedic Plus. “Everything possible has been done to reduce the number of patients and reduce the time they return to work.”

PhosAgro enterprises have created special production regulations for workload distribution for any scenario of the epidemic situation development and schemes to reserve key personnel engaged in maintaining continuous operation of production facilities. All other employees have been sent home to work remotely.

Employees engaged in providing continuous operation of production facilities undergo daily medical monitoring, including entry and exit body temperature screening using non-contact thermometers. At checkpoints, the minimum distance of 1.5 meters between workers passing through the turnstile has been established.

Streaming thermal imagers have been purchased to be installed at checkpoints of the enterprises. The checkpoints, operator rooms and sanitary facilities are regularly deep cleaned. Ultraviolet recirculators will be installed in administrative and residential buildings if requested. All employees of the enterprises have been provided with masks. In addition to masks, the company has sufficient stock of respirators, anti-infective suits, antiseptic and disinfectants.

The transport that brings employees to the shift is equipped with disinfectant dispensers, all drivers, conductors and passengers are required to wear in medical masks on transport.
To avoid crowds on the most popular routes, the number of buses has been increased. Those employees who decide to opt for their personal vehicles instead of corporate buses will be reimbursed for their gasoline costs.

“In other words, PhosAgro production facilities are now the “cleanest” and the safest places in the cities where the company operates,” said Petr Dmitriev.

The company is providing assistance to medical institutions in the cities of its presence. Equipment and protective devices to fight coronavirus are purchased, such as oxygen concentrators, mechanical ventilation systems, disposable syringes, blood and biomaterial test tubes, filter masks, goggles and protective, disinfection equipment.

PhosAgro is purchasing rapid testing kits for coronavirus to test residents of the cities of presence and company employees. Together with the Russian Direct Investment Fund, PhosAgro is piloting the latest express testing system. The first batch of rapid-result coronavirus testing kits has been recently delivered to Apatity and Kirovsk (Murmansk Region).