Bradford White manufactures water heating and water storage appliances that are installed in homes, medical facilities like doctor’s offices and hospitals, nursing homes, food prep facilities, dairy farms, security facilities and more.

Hot water is vital for sanitizing and hygienic purposes in many industries, and water heaters are essential appliances critical to infrastructure and public health. Without a reliable hot water supply, hospitals, nursing homes and food processing plants could not continue to operate.

More than 26,000 water heaters are installed every day in the United States, with nearly 90 percent of those being emergency replacements, and Bradford White is a significant part of the supply chain facilitating emergency installations.

Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-21 allows critical infrastructure workers like Bradford White employees to continue operating to promote public health, public safety and maintain the supply chain for critical skilled trades such as plumbers during the COVID-19 health emergency. The governor’s order references the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) guidelines in establishing essential businesses.

Bradford White has proactively taken several steps to protect the health and safety of employees at its Middleville factory:

• Requiring employees who are experiencing any cold or flu-like symptoms to stay at home until further notice
• Implementing procedures to limit person-to-person contact on the job
• Enhancing cleaning procedures in the plant, including sanitizing common areas such as bathrooms and breakrooms multiple times each shift and conducting deep cleaning of the factory on a rotating basis
• Providing cleaning equipment to employees and encouraging them to sanitize their workstations, in addition to the company's enhanced cleaning regimen at the beginning and end of shifts
• Providing personal protective equipment, including masks, shields, and gloves, to employees who are unable to be separated by more than 6 feet
• Encouraging employees to engage in regular hand washing
• Adjusting break and lunch times to ensure employees are not gathered in groups
• Prohibiting unauthorized visitors at Bradford White facilities
• Communicating with employees to address any concerns and answer questions

Bradford White had been working in cooperation with United Auto Workers Local 1002 regarding the implementation of these procedures. The company will continue to adjust its policies and procedures to protect employees and ensure that Bradford White is meeting the requirements and recommendations of the CDC and the state of Michigan.

By continuing to operate its Middleville factory, Bradford White can help provide reliable, abundant, clean hot water for hospitals, nursing homes, food manufacturing facilities, residential homes and more as it works to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Bradford White is very proud of the role the company and its employees play in the global supply chain of water heating, space heating and water processing and storage appliances, particularly during this crisis.