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Transport and logistics company XPO Logistics Inc. is known for its aggressive
growth strategy, frequent corporate acquisitions, and early adoption of ware-
house technologies.

Now comes word that the Greenwich, Conn.-based company has launched a pilot program that’s expected to pay off in an entirely different kind of way. An XPO distribution center in Easton, Pa., recently rolled out a program in collaboration with a local nonprofit group to place differently abled employees in warehouse jobs, where they work alongside the main labor force. XPO says the pilot program is already paying dividends by providing both the new hires and their colleagues with an expanded sense of mission about the importance of employment and teamwork.

XPO started the “Differently Abled Employment Opportunity Initiative” in March through a partnership with The Arc of Lehigh & Northampton Counties Inc., a Bethlehem, Pa.-based group that provides advocacy and support services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The pilot program now has three associates, and the company is working to recruit more workers, XPO says. Participants work in XPO’s consumables sector and are cross-trained in other areas, working four-hour days from Monday through Friday. XPO says it intends to use the program to provide permanent long-term employment.

XPO puts differently abled employees to work

We know it’s hard to believe, but lift truck batteries don’t always get the respect—and attention—they deserve. In too many DCs, they’re treated as “set it and forget it” components that essentially get ignored until a problem arises. What these facilities don’t always realize is that, like any other complex piece of equipment, batteries require rigorous monitoring, testing, and preventive maintenance for optimal performance.

One power provider is now taking steps to help educate those users on the proper care and feeding of batteries. Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based Storage The academy will offer courses for beginners as well as experienced technicians looking for continued education in the utility and telecom industries, delivering a curriculum that is compliant with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards. In order to provide a realistic learning environment, trainees will learn on actual installed equipment, not simulators, SBS says.

Battery academy set to open this fall

It seems the iconic image of a friendly postman being bitten by a dog may soon need a makeover. After years of steady increases, the number of dog attacks on postal workers actually fell last year. According to the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) latest annual dog attack city rankings, the number of postal employees attacked by dogs nationwide in 2017 was 6,244, a drop of 511 from 2016’s

6,755.

The postal service attributes the improvement to technology such as the delivery scanners carried by postal workers, which now send alerts if an unleashed dog is reported in a delivery area. It also noted that its website allows customers to indicate whether there’s a dog at their address when scheduling package pickups, which USPS says is particularly helpful for substitute carriers. (For tips on ways consumers can help prevent dog attacks, check out the video “Dog Bite Prevention and Awareness Tips” on the USPS You Tube channel.)

As for the city rankings, Houston topped the danger list, with 71 dog attacks recorded in 2017. Houston was followed by Los Angeles, St. Louis, Cleveland, and San Diego. Rounding out the top 10 were Baltimore and San Antonio (tied), Columbus (Ohio), Dallas, Louisville (Ky.), and Chicago.

“We’re encouraged by the decrease in dog attacks,” USPS Safety Director Linda DeCarlo said in a statement. “The totals are still too high, but we’re confident that with continuing education and dog bite prevention training, along with advancing technology, we can keep more people safe and keep attacks trending downward.”