- Cleaning crews are being left to deal with potentially dangerous biohazards.
- Workers with information are being encouraged to contact Stellantis.
- Stellantis says it’s committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment.
Officials at Stellantis’ Kokomo Engine Plant in Indiana are dealing with an unexpected and deeply unpleasant workplace crisis, as someone has been smearing feces on bathroom walls and leaving piles of it on the floor. No, this isn’t a bizarre marketing stunt or the plot of a low-budget reality show. It’s a very real (and very disgusting) situation unfolding at the facility that produces engines for the Jeep Wrangler, Compass, and Grand Cherokee.
In a letter addressed to all employees at the plant earlier this week that leaked on social media, the manager of Stellantis’ Wellbeing, Health & Safety division, R. Tyler Adams, described the ghastly scenes that cleanup crews are having to deal with. Not only has feces been spread across walls and left on the floor, but it’s also been spread on disability handlebars, door latches, and sink handles.
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In the letter, Adams says cleaning crews are facing “potentially dangerous biohazards that are completely avoidable,” and that as of February 3, they’ve been instructed to no longer clean up any of the poop they find spread throughout bathrooms. Instead, “each bathroom found in this grotesque state, will be immediately locked and taken out of service until further notice.”
“There will be folks that have some complaints and concerns about this process, but we will no longer ask our SBM staff to clean up these types of events until a detailed investigation is complete,” the letter adds. “If needed, alternate methods may be used to help pinpoint the culprit.”
There’s no word on what these “alternate methods” could be, but employees with any information about the serial bathroom vandal are being urged to report it anonymously via the company’s designated email.
Stellantis Responds
In a statement issued to Carscoops, Stellantis confirmed that an internal investigation is underway, but also clarified that, despite what the letter suggested, bathrooms will continue to be cleaned.
“Stellantis is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for its employees,” media relations manager Ann Marie Fortunate said. “The company is currently investigating disturbing incidents at its Kokomo Engine Plant that have left bathroom facilities in an unsanitary condition. While the investigation is ongoing, the plant will ensure that bathroom facilities are regularly cleaned and sanitized and remain accessible to employees. Those responsible for these intentional acts will be held accountable.”
For now, the plant’s restrooms are locked in a battle between common decency and a mystery vandal with a deeply concerning hobby. We’ll see if Stellantis’ investigation will flush out the culprit or if this saga will continue to stink up the workplace remains to be seen.