XPO Logistics puts employee safety first during COVID-19

April 16, 2020

By Transport Intelligence

XPO Logistics has adapted to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to safeguard its workforce and maintain continuity of vital services. The company is using a combination of protective measures, technology and virtual communications to help keep employees safe in all 30 countries where it operates.

XPO teams are working to move critically important goods through supply chains, including medical products, personal protective equipment, food and beverages, telecommunication devices, household goods and business supplies. The company provides essential support to industrial, retail and institutional customers, as well as government agencies.

Nearly all of XPO’s locations globally continue to operate, with short-term shutdowns for deep cleaning as needed. Customers continue to have access to the company’s full range of transportation services: dedicated and non-dedicated truckload, less-than-truckload, last mile, managed transportation and global forwarding.

Additionally, XPO is aiding national, regional and local authorities with crisis management. In Spain, the company is distributing masks and other protective measures for the Junta of Castilla and León. In the US, XPO has partnered with the New York City Emergency Management Department for the distribution of life-sustaining supplies to people isolated in the epicentre of the pandemic.

XPO deployed comprehensive operating protocols that prioritise employee safety while meeting the company’s responsibilities as a designated provider of essential infrastructure services.

• XPO employees worldwide are working remotely if able to do so. For employees who need to work on-site, the company follows the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO), national authorities and its own health and safety protocols.
• The company has introduced online programs in seven languages to help employees manage change during the pandemic. These include video sessions on health and safety, stress management and working remotely, as well as information on special policies in effect.
• All XPO workplaces conform to social distancing guidelines. Where possible, sites have erected barriers between workstations and use demarcations on floors to limit contact between employees. Visitors are restricted from accessing XPO offices and field locations.
• Regular communications keep employees aware of local government guidelines, and site managers, senior team members and human resources staff participate in meetings prior to the start of shifts to emphasize social distancing and the importance of leaving work immediately if feeling sick. Signs posted throughout the facilities reinforce these policies.
• XPO’s drivers and transportation contractors perform no-contact deliveries whenever possible, using digital image verification as proof of delivery and managing capacity on the company’s digital freight platform.
• The company has arranged for additional workplace cleaning measures and provides personal protective equipment and sanitization supplies to employees, with procurement measures in place to monitor inventory levels.
• XPO has created a multilingual COVID-19 portal where employees can access safety information, company policies, preventative measures and benefits information online.

Source: XPO