“More attention will also be paid to the effectiveness of our communication, so that we can be sure that everyone working at the shipyard is aware of the guidelines and their significance also outside of official working hours. Compliance monitoring will be stepped up and RMC will require zero tolerance from all actors,"  stated Jyrki Heinimaa, CEO of Rauma Marine Constructions.

After a cluster of corona infections was discovered among shipyard workers on Friday, February 19, the company shut down production.

A total of 1,000 people have been tested, with 239 employees testing positive for coronavirus, according to the City of Rauma.

The shared living and transportation arrangements for foreign workers working at the yard seem to have been the key factor leading to the spread of infections.

To prevent the virus from spreading further among workers, the shipbuilder has established a strict plan with the city and local health authorities to create health and safety standards targeting eating, housing, and transport arrangements.

Although the shipyard has been following official instructions for a long time, Jyrki Heinimaa, CEO of Rauma Marine Constructions, claims that it is clearly not up to equal level.

The company's internal communication, according to Heinimaa, is multilingual. RMC will then determine whether there is a need to expand the number of languages available to ensure that everyone can understand the instructions.

Work will be staggered in the future, and only pre-assigned, individual teams will be allowed to move around the shipyard.

Furthermore, lunch breaks and additional breaks will be staggered more than before. The shipyard has also made mask use mandatory, which is being closely monitored.

Maritime Business World