Boeing plans to begin what it calls a safe and orderly restart of limited operations in the Puget Sound region and Moses Lake, Washington, on Monday. The resumption of operations will center on defense programs, including P-8 and KC-46, and Moses Lake site operations in support of 737 Max storage. Other essential labs and teams will also resume supporting “critical” customer needs. The limited reopening involves about 2,500 employees.

The federal government considers Boeing’s work supporting the Department of Defense as a part of the defense industrial base a matter of national security and has deemed it critical. Meanwhile, the company’s commercial work supports critical global transportation, said Boeing.

The company said its phased approach to reopening ensures a reliable supply base, ready availability of personal protective equipment, and the full establishment of all other safety measures needed to return to regular business.

Boeing stressed its adherence to practices to reinforce employee health, physical distancing, and enhanced cleaning including employee wellness checks at the beginning of every shift, staggered shift start times to reduce the flow of employees arriving and departing work, visual controls such as floor markings and signage to create physical distance, continued use of virtual meetings, a limit of one person per row in onsite shuttles, dining areas adjusted for physical distancing, and hand-washing stations in high-traffic areas and additional cleaning supplies available.