(STURGIS) – Many businesses in Michigan have continued to provide critically needed supplies for our economy during the COVID-19 crisis.

Rebecca Burns, Health Officer with the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency says to do so, these companies have also put plans in place to protect their employees. As the knowledge of the virus has grown, businesses have adapted and updated their processes.

One of those businesses is Iceberg Enterprises in Sturgis. Burns says on May 6, management at Iceberg received information of a number of employees testing positive for COVID-19. With this information, Iceberg invoked their procedure to evacuate the facility and initiate a deep cleaning/aeration procedure. Iceberg worked closely with the CHA to ensure protective measures in written plans were up to date.

They determined that closing their facilities in Sturgis through Wednesday, May 13 was the most protective course of action for their employees and the community.

Burns says now that they have re-opened and after testing all of their on site workers for COVID-19, Iceberg has further enhanced and instituted the following requirements to protect their workers and the community: face masks or face shields are required to be worn by workers; gloves are available to workers and daily health screenings for every employee will be done.

In addition, hand washing requirements in the facility include washing hands before each shift, at each break and every time they start at or return to a station.

If there are further positive test results for a worker, the deep cleaning procedure is invoked every time. Workers who have been exposed to a COVID-19 case are quarantined for a period defined by the CHA. Any worker who tests positive with COVID-19 may not return to work until they have satisfied the criteria outlined by the CHA.