Tool Cleaning to Reduce Health and Safety Issues

The global manufacturing slump due to the COVID-19 pandemic is showing signs of easing. As manufacturing and production work resumes or increasing operations, even in a limited capacity, the health and safety of the worker is in even higher focus. It is important to evaluate work areas, work cell set-up and shift change over. Many operations and manufacturing teams are working on plans around social distancing in the work environment, but also cleaning and sanitizing highly utilized spaces, employee work areas, and tools and equipment that is shared and / or utilized in work areas.

Guidance from government agencies like the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is available, but also manufacturing associations, state governments, and others have created guidance and support materials for manufacturing and assembly plants on how to put protective measures in place and support worker health and safety.

As employees take a look at their operations to identify the equipment and tools that would benefit from a cleaning and sanitizing program, we offer tested results alongside guidance from the CDC and EPA.— Deanna PostlethwaiteDirector of Global Product Management, STANLEY Assembly Technologies

Teams are working together as operations and manufacturing resources collaborate with the company’s Environmental Health and Safety department. When it is time to get back to work and open plants, STANLEY^® Assembly Technologies is here to help. "As employees take a look at their operations to identify the equipment and tools that would benefit from a cleaning and sanitizing program, the goal is to offer tested results alongside guidance from the CDC and EPA," says Deanna Postlewaite, Direcor of Global Product Management at STANLEY Assembly Technologies.

As an aid to support our customers, partners and service teams, STANLEY has reviewed and tested the recommendations from the CDC and the EPA on STANLEY Assembly Technologies handheld, fixtured and cordless torque tools and nutrunners as well as the Stanley QBE-Series controller platform. This testing resulted in the development of Service Bulletin SB2020-02. As operations resume, STANLEY Certified Repair Centers and Distribution Partners can support your efforts with service and support. To find your local STANLEY Assembly Technologies Distribution Partner, please visit our Find A Distributor page or contact us at SATInfo@sbdinc.com or call +1-440-461-5500.

The guidance from the CDC and the EPA were considered before the following procedures were reviews and tested:

• Tool and controller construction were reviewed
• Specific areas on the tools and controllers to note have been called out in the document
• Application methods were reviewed
• Quantity of cleaner applied and how the cleaners are applied are recommended
• The cleaners and sanitizing agents used for this testing can be identified

STANLEY uses tools internally to produce our equipment and have implemented strict cleaning & sanitization, along with social distancing and PPE to ensure our focus is on the health and safety of our employees.— Deanna PostlethwaiteDirector of Global Product Management, STANLEY Assembly Technologies

STANLEY uses tools internally to produce our equipment and have implemented strict cleaning & sanitization, along with social distancing and personal protection equipment (PPE) to ensure our focus is on the health and safety of our employees. With the above guidance, STANLEY recommends a documented program, support and guidance from the internal team, training, and maintaining participation, accountability and commitment to ensure a comprehensive program is implemented. Please email us at SATInfo@sbdinc.com or at complete the contact us form to request STANLEY^® Assembly Technologies Service Bulletin SB2020-02.