Abstract

In just a week, the NBA season came to a halt, schools closed and businesses shutdown across the country. The cause? An all-hands-on-deck effort to combat the spread of COVID-19, with only select business remaining open to provide critical supplies and services. New cases climbed higher and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued updated guidelines for hygiene and safety, while essential businesses nationwide scrambled to source critical personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers.

Months later, industries and companies across the country are getting back to work, but the lasting impact of COVID-19 has changed how businesses operate. Face shields, plastic barriers, hand sanitizing stations and even socially distanced workplace configurations are all becoming part of the new reality as businesses of all types get back to work.

Supply chains are uniquely positioned on the frontlines, now with the mandate to not only work efficiently, but safely – adopting best practices for health and hygiene at every level. Lessons learned during the initial months of the pandemic are informing how warehouses, distribution centers and other facilities operate as economies re-open.

But how does getting back to work in the era of COVID-19 work for lift truck operations? From daily operation to service calls, personnel interact with lift trucks in several ways, all of which can risk virus transmission without proper sanitization. Developing and implementing best practices requires drawing on guidance from the CDC and applying it to the unique nature of your facility, including specific equipment used and its applications.