By John Luciani
The weather outside may be frightful this winter for many areas of the U.S., but no matter what the elements may bring, the freight shipments critical to our economy and livelihood still require prompt transportation and distribution. With computer forecast models calling for colder than average temperatures for northern and eastern states, and the Farmers’ Almanac citing an unpredictable polar coaster of highs and lows, fleet owners and supply chain professionals should take the appropriate measures for securely weatherproofing their operations.
Winterizing operations is a full-spectrum effort: protecting employees with the right equipment and training, ensuring preventative maintenance is current on all power and trailing equipment, preparing warehouses for freezing temperatures, and offering services that protect temperature-sensitive shipments help form a solid groundwork for success. As colder temperatures settle in, fleet owners can follow the tips outlined below to protect from harsh winter conditions.
Comprehensive Safety Measures
No matter the season, nothing is more important than employee safety. Extreme cold and adverse weather pose very real threats to front-line employees like drivers, so fleet owners must make certain their teams are fully equipped for safely overcoming dangerous and extreme conditions. From small measures like reinforcing the importance of wearing proper apparel, to larger overall risk management strategies that incorporate extensive driver training and new technologies, efforts both small and large all contribute to keeping operations safe and moving during the winter months. Comprehensive top-to-bottom initiatives work together in a number of ways:
- Risk management helps protect people, property, products, processes, and information throughout the shipping process. Companies that spend time and resources formulating and executing these plans are rewarded with decreased workplace injuries and higher quality work.
- Ongoing training for all newly hired drivers should be a top priority. Whether it be an in-house driving academy or having drivers obtain additional certifications, ensuring all drivers are Class-A CDL, Haz-Mat and Forklift Certified helps guarantee that products will be safely and properly handled from pick-up to delivery.
- Technology plays a key role in both security and safety. Real-time satellite-enabled shipment visibility and continuous monitoring allows fleet owners to better track shipment locations and road conditions.
All risk management strategy and personnel training will prove ineffective if basic preventative maintenance fails to take place. Truck battery, tire, and all related maintenance services should be current. Trailer heaters should undergo a thorough pre-season inspection that includes battery testing. Also, fuel cannot be overlooked: Consider blended fuel which can help prevent possible breakdowns due to gelling.
Warehouse preparation
Winter preparations for warehousing and distribution centers should start with monitoring and maintaining facility heat generation before cold weather arrives. This proactive approach allows warehouse operators to repair damaged or worn equipment before detrimental weather-related incidents occur. Conducting regular inspections of all HVAC equipment will help minimize potential costly impacts to inventory resulting from a preventable heating malfunction.
Warehouse operators should also consider investing in High-Volume, Low-Speed (HVLS) fans whose benefits are felt beyond just the warmer months. HVLS fans combine warm and cold air by moving large volumes of air to create a more consistent temperature throughout the facility. This helps regulate warehouse temperature, which is extremely important during the winter season.
Service offerings
Along with preparing and protecting one’s team and overall enterprise, the primary motivation behind all winter supply chain preparation is safeguarding the integrity of shipments. Critical hospital supplies, industrial materials including water-based paints and chemicals, and many household staples are all vulnerable to extreme weather and can potentially be damaged—even ruined—if not stored and transported properly.
Shippers searching for a capable and fully winter prepped transportation partner should not only consider the provider’s rate of on-time service, service area, and solutions, but should also look at a provider’s ability to offer shipment freeze protection, without weather embargoes, that includes heated trailers, network infrastructure and advanced route planning systems. These assets and capabilities can help fleet owners boost their bottom line by attracting and retaining customers that require a more extensively weatherproofed operation.
Winterizing transportation and logistics operations can be achieved by taking steps to safeguard employees, preparing equipment and warehouses for freezing temperatures, and offering services that protect shipments traveling in even the harshest environments. While nothing is guaranteed when operating in these conditions, a proactive approach to fleet and personnel safety during the winter months leaves less to the mercy of nature, better protecting company assets, team member safety and the integrity of critical shipments.
John Luciani is COO of LTL Services at A. Duie Pyle.
