One person. One station. Surrounded by people who had been there for years.
No, assume you are new...and everyone else is.
And your assessment of management is the same as every front line worker ever. I hope your acumen has changed over the years. Because otherwise, you have no idea what it’s like to run a “factories.”
I’ve worked in factories. Some teamwork is required here and there, but most people don’t need to be closer to other people than six feet. Most of them only need to be close to the parts coming in and going out. Conveyors, overhead hoists and cranes, forklifts and trucks have been around for a long time. Most factories should have high volume ventilation. Meat plants need air circulation with filters or other air cleaners. UV lights overnight wouldn’t hurt.