Toyota India releases Restart Manual, guide to business operations post lockdown

Toyota's India arm, Toyota Kirloskar Motor has developed a comprehensive document that will guide firms in restarting operations after the COVID-19 lockdown. The document termed 'Restart Manual' can be used by any manufacturing firm to reorganise and safely resume business operations while keeping health standards in place to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor put this document together after consulting a team of cross-functional experts who covered details of various operations and created a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) that would ensure the safest possible restart to manufacturing. The company hopes that this initiative will aid the government, stakeholders and the community at large through its use as a reference document for industries to safeguard and ensure the health, well-being and safety of all their employees.

The document lays down a step-by-step guide on how to contain the spread of COVID-19 as per recommendations laid down by the WHO. It covers every step of the function of a manufacturing unit right from employee transport protocols to interactions within company premises like entry gates, common areas, factory floor, offices and canteens. It also gives recommendations in steps that employees need to take once they get home from work.

The manual suggests measures like temperature screening, self health monitoring, social distancing, disinfection of common surfaces, cleaning hands with soap/alcohol-based hand sanitiser and usage of masks. A combination of these measures are suggested wherever in the facility they are most effective, the idea being to minimise the chances of COVID-19 spread through close contact or respiration.

Masakazu Yoshimura, managing director of Toyota Kirloskar Motor said of this initiative, "Today, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health and safety of people across the globe. We are witnessing demand, supply, market and liquidity shocks, decline in real GDP growth rates, and so many setbacks. It's our prime responsibility to ensure health and safety of employees, families and all our stakeholders. We need to safeguard business continuity and economic recovery as well by ensuring 'Safety & health First' approach. In this perspective, this 'Restart Manual' is prepared not only for our use but also for the benefit of government, industries and stakeholders. I would like to congratulate our TPS (Toyota Production System) experts who have worked hard to create this manual."

Toyota Kirloskar Motor and its suppliers will begin using the Restart Manual. It has also been shared as a reference document with all Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) members. The company also intends to share it with the wider segment of Industry through industry association platforms like CII.