In the third of our multipart series, we will continue discussing the impacts of the pandemic from a 3PL cold storage company’s vantage point. In this post, we will be covering the pandemic and safety changes in the 3PL cold storage industry.
Safety has been at the forefront of all 3PL cold storage facilities. Typically, workers have worked in close proximity and there could be several users of MHE (material handling equipment), Scanners, keyboards, and work areas. Cold Storage has several employees who have changing work areas and environments.
Social distancing, sanitizing work areas, and sanitizing material handling equipment has become a must to protect the work environment. This has negatively impacted the productivity as workers spend time managing their work areas three to four times per shift (an average of 20 minutes per shift).
As in most industries, call-outs have increased due to the close working conditions of staff in a 3PL cold storage. Many of the penalties for “calling out” and “unexcused” absences were lifted as a matter of safety. Overwhelmingly, on-site management has developed a cautionary stance on allowing a higher incidence of callouts. This has exacerbated labor challenges in the 3PL cold storage industry.
Interstate Cold Storage is a leader in cold storage, shipping, and distribution, with a network of facilities strategically located across the Midwest. For over 40 years, the family-owned company has been committed to providing cost-effective refrigerated services as well as outstanding customer service and logistical support to carriers. Among IARW members, Interstate Cold Storage ranks among the largest 25 public cold storage warehousing companies in North America, with five locations and nearly 22 million cubic feet of refrigerated space. Qualified staff and modern facilities enable us to handle all your needs, from standard warehousing to the most extensive and customized long-term storage programs. Our multiroom locations comprise a network offering temperature ranges from -13°F to +35°F, providing the flexibility of multiple rooms and set points to accommodate your specific needs.
