Consumer Brands Association Rings Alarm Bell: Conflicting Guidance on PPE Causing Confusion, Safety Concerns for Essential Workers

ARLINGTON, Virginia, April 10 -- The Consumer Brands Association (formerly the Grocery Manufacturers Association) issued the following news release:

At the same time the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages essential workers to wear face masks and take on-site temperature checks, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and various state agencies are confiscating thousands of pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) intended for essential employees. This conflicting action places at risk the essential workers whom CDC guidance aims to protect.

Notable examples include:

* Thermometers for use by essential employees confiscated at a commercial port.

* Cloth face masks to protect line workers seized before they even arrived at the manufacturing facility.

* State governments commandeering PPE meant for industrial use.

"Our industry's employees have been deemed an essential part of the effort to keep our country running, yet inconsistent behavior within the federal government is preventing manufacturers from accessing necessary PPE," said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the Consumer Brands Association, the trade association for the food, beverage, household and personal care product manufacturing industry. "All essential workers -- in health care and beyond -- must have access to the equipment they need to serve public interests safely during this crisis."

The Consumer Brands Association is calling on the federal government to immediately take three important steps to protect American workers' access to essential products:

* Create a White House Office of Supply Chain to accelerate supply chain performance through transparent cross-agency collaboration.

* Establish that all essential critical infrastructure employees, as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, should have access to necessary PPE.

* Ensure priority access to COVID-19 testing for essential workers.

"Taken together, our recommendations will protect the safety of essential workers and ensure that our industry can continue to provide the products that Americans need," said Freeman.

In a letter to President Trump on April 8 encouraging the creation of an Office of Supply Chain, Consumer Brands wrote:

"The scarcity of personal protective and sanitizing equipment is first and foremost a medical issue, but also extends to other critical infrastructure sectors and, in our industry's case, poses a threat to Americans' access to the products they need to keep themselves healthy and at home. PPE is used across the entirety of critical infrastructure workplaces to guard against illness and contamination. Unless steps are taken to prioritize acquisition and dissemination of personal protective and sanitizing equipment across all critical infrastructure, these essential manufacturers and other industries could see operations come to a halt due to workforce shortages, employee transmission and operational shutdowns."

* * *

April 8, 2020

President Donald J. Trump, The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W., Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Trump:

Right now, America's critical infrastructure workers are on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19. Across the United States, doctors, nurses, manufacturing employees, truckers, grocery store clerks and others are answering the call to keep their fellow Americans healthy and safe. As we rise to meet the challenges posed by this virus, we must make every effort to protect the men and women who are delivering the essential products consumers need.

Since the start of the outbreak, the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry has led the way on protecting its 2.3 million U.S. employees and, by extension, America's supply of food, beverage, household and personal care products. A significant workplace safety disruption during this pandemic could cripple the supply chain and our industry's ability to deliver everyday essentials. Accordingly, we are calling your attention to the need for a more coordinated effort to deliver personal protective equipment (PPE) across the critical infrastructure supply chain.

Building on your leadership and current COVID-19 response efforts, the Consumer Brands Association encourages you to establish a new Office of Supply Chain to set forth a strategic response and resiliency vision at a national level. In the short-term, this office could accelerate supply chain performance through cross-agency collaboration and a singular focus on delivering PPE for America's front-line critical infrastructure workforce.

The scarcity of personal protective and sanitizing equipment is first and foremost a medical issue, but also extends to other critical infrastructure sectors and, in our industry's case, poses a threat to Americans' access to the products they need to keep themselves healthy and at home. PPE is used across the entirety of critical infrastructure workplaces to guard against illness and contamination. Unless steps are taken to prioritize acquisition and dissemination of personal protective and sanitizing equipment across all critical infrastructure, these essential manufacturers and other industries could see operations come to a halt due to workforce shortages, employee transmission and operational shutdowns.

Critical infrastructure industry leaders have already taken additional steps to maintain business operations and preserve a healthy working environment. Manufacturing associations and public health agencies have mobilized to publish recommended protocols to protect essential critical infrastructure workers.

These include limiting personnel proximity in production facilities, distribution centers, warehouses and retail outlets. We are also proud of our workforce that has selflessly stepped up to the job at a time when Americans need them most.

Where your leadership could improve the availability of PPE and coordinate critical supply chain needs is in the creation of a White House Office of Supply Chain. Specifically, this office could:

* Assess the full extent of supply chain vulnerabilities, like current PPE scarcity, across critical infrastructure sectors and work to resolve these vulnerabilities.

* Adopt a comprehensive policy approach that accounts for the complexity and interconnectedness of modern supply chains.

* Evaluate real-time supply chain performance across the United States and provide strategic recommendations focused on response, resiliency and growth.

* Provide a single point of contact for the private sector to flag emerging issues and address friction points impeding the flow of essential goods and services.

* Chart a course toward implementation of new processes, policies and technologies that could accelerate U.S. supply chains.

The establishment of a cross-functional Office of Supply Chain, led by the White House, would be an invaluable tool for ensuring the most efficient flow of PPE to the critical infrastructure industries and their employees in the short-term. In the long-term, it could evolve to meet America's ongoing needs. An Office of Supply Chain could help ensure the most efficient return to a healthy economy, removing barriers to global competitiveness and enhancing Americans' quality of life.

The Consumer Brands Association appreciates your leadership during these difficult times and respectfully asks for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Geoff Freeman

President and CEO

Consumer Brands Association

* * *

The Consumer Brands Association champions the industry whose products Americans depend on every day. From household and personal care to food and beverage products, the consumer packaged goods industry plays a vital role in powering the U.S. economy, contributing $2 trillion to U.S. GDP and supporting more than 20 million American jobs.