inbound
Ahhh, summer… the time of picnics, barbecues, and trips to the seashore. But that same sultry weather that delights beach-goers can
make life miserable for workers in
warehouses and DCs, where rising
temps put them at risk of exhaustion, dehydration (which interferes
with the body’s cooling response),
cramping, and heat-related illness.
The good news is that illnesses
like heat stress and heat stroke are
preventable. To help facilities keep
their workers safe, the Atlanta-based staffing firm Randstad has
compiled some guidelines for managing heat-related risks.
For starters, Randstad urges facility managers to keep an eye on
the region’s “heat index”—a single
value that takes both temperature
and humidity into account, making
it a better measure of risk to workers than temperature alone. When
the heat index reaches 91 degrees,
the company says, managers should
require workers to take water
breaks every 45 to 60 minutes, with
the frequency increasing to every 30
to 45 minutes at 103 degrees. Once
the index reaches 115 degrees, they
should require water breaks every
15 minutes, rotate employees off
the job, or simply reschedule work
for the morning or evening shifts
when it tends to be cooler.
On the all-important topic of
hydration, Corey Berghoefer,
Randstad’s senior vice president of
risk management and insurance,
urges DCs in hot regions to set up
water stations throughout the facility. Many operations stash cases
of bottled water at spots like the
conveyor line, pack stations, and
loading and receiving docks, he
notes. Other companies take a fun
approach, encouraging hydration
by handing out popsicles during
breaks or renting a slushy machine
for the lunchroom, he adds.
The heat is on …
If the truck drivers showing up at your loading dock
this summer look a little more buff than usual, we
think we know the reason why. They’re following
a hard-core regimen of Hindu pushups,
sumo squats, and bear crawls designed
specifically for truck drivers and delivered
via their in-cab computing systems or
mobile devices.
Fitness coaching is just part of the new Rolling Strong mobile health and
wellness platform. The app also provides drivers with guidance and real-time tracking of meals, exercise, and sleep. Developed by Rolling Strong, a
provider of fitness programs for trucking companies and their employees
as well as owner-operators, the program’s overarching goal is to protect the
trucking industry’s number one asset: the driver.
The catalyst for the program’s development was Rolling Strong’s acquisi-
tion in March by mobile technology provider Velociti. The companies say
the merger provided the opportunity to combine their expertise to create a
product that helps drivers adopt healthier lifestyles.
Drivers can access the Rolling Strong health and wellness platform from
both iOS and Android mobile devices. And if they happen to be competitive
types, all the better. Rewards and gaming features have been integrated into
the platform, allowing drivers or trucking companies to create and participate in wellness challenges and competitions.
New app helps drivers get healthy
As cannabis goes mainstream, new ventures are sprouting up to support the
newly legalizing trade. We recently wrote about an e-commerce platform
for marijuana retailers and their supply chain partners called LeafLink.
And now comes news of an enterprising firm that recently became the first
approved applicant for Colorado’s new Marijuana Enforcement Division
(MED) transport license, which will allow it to offer transportation, distribution, and warehousing services for legal weed.
For the past several years, Denver-based CannaRabbit has operated as a
licensed cannabis courier in Colorado, transporting items like test samples,
flower, and marijuana-infused products throughout the state’s network
of growers, manufacturers, dispensers, and laboratories. But as of July 1,
the company is now one of a small number of licensed cannabis couriers
authorized to transport, store, and warehouse cannabis products for up to
seven business days.
With warehouses on both Colorado’s Front Range and Western Slope,
CannaRabbit says the new operating authority will allow it to better service
clients statewide by offering storage, cross-docking, and centralized product
sorting for more efficient distribution.
The company also sees the new capabilities as a source of competitive
advantage. With that wider time window (in the past, drivers had to pick
up and deliver shipments on the same day), CannaRabbit can provide more
flexible scheduling and consistent delivery than competitors, using its strategically located warehouses to get the ganja to dispensary locations across
the state, company president Corey Young said in a release.
Smokin’ the competition
