At DTE, our number one priority is the safety of our employees and our customers. That’s why we’re handling the COVID-19 pandemic with extreme caution. Our efforts start with requiring our employees to wear additional personal protective equipment (PPE) and to follow enhanced safety measures to reduce the spread of the virus as much as possible. We believe this will help us continue to provide you the power you and your families need during these unprecedented times. Read more about what we’re doing below:
COVID-19 PPE
We’ve implemented new PPE for employees to wear to keep them and the public safe and healthy:
- All field employees are required to wear an approved face mask when working on company business unless the masks interfere with other safety requirements or pose a greater safety risk to our crews
- Employees who need to enter customer homes at this time are required to wear safety glasses, surgical masks, and nitrile gloves. For those entering “high-risk” homes, they’re also mandated to wear face shields and disposable fire-retardant coveralls
COVID-19 Safety Precautions
In addition to new PPE, all employees are required to follow strict safety precautions to ensure their health and the health of those around them:
- All employees must practice good hygiene, including frequently washing hands with soap and water, and proper social distancing
- All employees are required to use separate vehicles when traveling from location to location
- Crew assignments are to stay the same to avoid cross-contamination between crews
- Crews are sanitizing equipment and work locations at the end of each day
- Processes for safety briefs, material pick up and more have been refined to eliminate as much in-person interaction as possible
- All our facilities are closed to visitors and non-essential personnel. We’re conducting temperature screenings for essential employees prior to entering facilities
- Since March 15, all employees in roles that can be performed from home without compromising service to customers or each other have been working remotely
However, we cannot keep to these new safety standards without your help. Please exercise proper social distancing – staying at least six feet away – when interacting with our crews in the field.
Thank you for your cooperation as we work to power through this pandemic together.