October 11, 2020

Banham Poultry in Norfolk reopens after COVID-19 closure

UK's Banham Poultry has resumed operations, following their closure on Aug.27, after nearly 100 of its staff tested positive for COVID-19.

The plant, which is based in Norfolk, has set in place extensive new measures to protect its staff against the coronavirus disease, The Scottish Farmer reported.

The report said sanitation and disinfection expert MYDIS has installed five "portals" at the entrances to Banham factories and offices, which are equipped with artificial intelligence and facial-recognition technology to identify employees and check their body temperatures. As users walk through the booth, their outer layers are covered in a fine mist of vaporised disinfectant before they enter the building.

Banham has also enhanced social-distancing measures in amenities and production lines with increased signage and screens. It has likewise installed door handles that automatically dispense hand sanitiser when touched.

"Health and safety has always been of paramount importance to us at Banham, but the pandemic has prompted to us evolve our protections. The Covid-security of our site is not negotiable to us, so we've worked with MYDIS to implement a range of best in class measures", Banham Poultry Managing Director Blaine van Rensburg said.

He added, "Only four of the staff who tested positive had coronavirus symptoms, and these developed after their positive tests, so we're determined to be on the front foot moving forward by ensuring we're detecting high-temperatures at the door of all our facilities and regularly sanitising and disinfecting all areas as frequently as possible".

Terri-Ann Boyle, director at MYDIS, assured that Banham Poultry is a safe and COVID-secure site for all staff and customers. "Banham Poultry sets the tone for what a COVID-secure site should look like as we continue to battle the pandemic", she said.

Banham Poultry accounts for 7% of UK chicken processing and has its own hatchery, which supplies all farms producing poultry for the company.