By: Jean-Pierre Brien, Project Manager at Uist Asco.
Adopting New Covid Behaviours
Continuing production during COVID was a challenging exercise and the success we’ve had was only made possible by the dedication and coordination of our entire team. Our small but mighty group includes local Harvesters, Hauliers, Contractors, Plant Operators and Office Staff.
Due to everyone’s relentless efforts to physically distance and work independently while improving operations enabled us to continue running the plant, getting people trained and we even started shipping seaweed to several new distributors! Senior management would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone for continuing to operate safely and differently in order to accommodate the new normal.
Projects During COVID
During this period, we also embarked on several projects both inside and outside the factory in order to continue to make improvements to the process and site. These projects were fraught with delays due to contractors going on furlough, reduced manufacturing capabilities of suppliers and our senior management’s very pro-active and conservative approach to dealing with the pandemic which made safety of our Employees, their families and community our #1 priority.
After re-planning all three of the major projects that we had on the go, I am thrilled to announce that they got underway again and are nearing completion. The most noticeable being the renovation of the on-site storage shed which will greatly improve not only the site’s appearance, but our ability to meet all our customers’ needs for quality Scottish seaweed.
We have taken a lot of precautionary steps in order to work with our Contractors. In doing so we have prevented the spread of COVID within our work force and the community in general. Several precautions included housing the workers separately from tourists and the town, ensuring they bring their own food from the mainland so they don’t enter local shops, and they travel in their own vehicles. On site, we have given them their own area in which to operate safely and to ensure they have no cross-over contact with our Employees.
We will continue to abide by government and senior management directives and continue being proactively safe within our community. And I’d like to send out one last thank you to our Harvesters, Hauliers, Employees and Contractors who have been working responsibly and tirelessly to ensure their own safety and the safety of those around them.