How the transport and logistics sector adapts and develops in the time of Covid-19

First there was the Phase 1, then the Phase 2, now the second wave: the current reality is that we are all still in the midst of the Covid 19 pandemic. Companies and individuals are adapting to keep on working and cope with the various phases of a real health emergency. Here is a handbook for the transport sector, never stopped by the decrees.

The transport sector and the pandemic

During this Covid 19 pandemic, the problem of contagion is real and present in every day and working environment: no one can claim to be immune, but there are certainly categories more at risk than others.

Obviously, the sector most at risk is the health sector, which is constantly under pressure and on the front line during every phase of the pandemic, but it is important to recognise that there are other sectors that take a back seat but are extremely operational and indispensable, and therefore exposed to contagion.

In this article, we will focus on the logistics and transport sector, which includes the sale of spare parts for industrial vehicles, the automotive aftermarket and garages, which has always been in operation.

Without knowing the true extent of the enemy, spare parts dealers such as GGN, body shops and mechanics have always guaranteed service, even though they constantly have to deal with used parts, new parcels and customers without a face mask.

This has therefore led to an active continuation of the transport sector: here is therefore a short but important handbook on the procedures to be adopted to minimise Covid- 19 infection.

Covid 19: scientific indications and laws

The indications given in this article are drawn from ongoing scientific discoveries, the contents of the Italian Ministerial Decrees (DPCM) and the circulating news about the Covid 19 pandemic, and are primarily aimed at transporters, workshops and warehouses to ensure maximum safety and operability.

In fact, there are many new features and they can be missed: but let’s proceed with order.

The name COVID-19 stands for CO (Corona), VI (Virus) and D19 (the year of contagion) and indicates a virus composed of a protein molecule surrounded by a layer of fat.

It is still largely unknown, but there are a few fixed points:

• It has an incubation period of 2 to 11 days (maximum 14)
• It is a respiratory virus that is spread by saliva, coughing or sneezing, and by hands brought to the mouth, eyes or nose
• It reproduces itself by coming into contact with humans
• It survives on surfaces such as dashboards, seats, boxes, spare parts, etc. even for several days
• Changing the way we work and adapting to the change is therefore essential to move forward and overcome the emergency without too much damage.

Here are some useful tips to limit contagion also in the transport sector.

Covid 19: five tips for the transport sector

The first advice coming from the authorities and the WHO is the request to always have visitors, transporters, suppliers, etc. fill out a self-declaration: in this document they must summarise their health status with body temperature, as well as information of possible risk contacts in the last 14 days.

The second tip concerns the widespread adoption of working from home, where possible, as well as the requirement to use face masks (possibly FFP2) and gloves. The temperature should also be checked at the start of each shift and a minimum distance of more than 2 meters maintained at all times.

The third piece of advice, no matter how obvious, relates to daily cleaning: all company and vehicle surfaces must be sanitised, and if possible properly disinfected with alcohol- or chlorine-based products. It is also necessary to ventilate the vehicle interior by opening the doors for 15 minutes.

The fourth tip concerns observing the period during which the virus remains on the surfaces of objects in use, such as documents and parcels: it is therefore advisable to neutralise the possible viral load before handling them by placing them in special boxes or outside for 24 hours.

The fifth and last piece of advice in our handbook for the transport sector is addressed directly to employers, a key part of the fight against Covid-19: highly visible signs should be put up with clear indications on how to behave in order to contain the contagion, without forgetting to point out the official websites of the Ministry of Health, the National Institute of Health and the WHO.

We conclude with a basic but very important tip: in addition to wearing the face mask correctly, it should be changed (thrown away) often, and never forget to wash your hands thoroughly several times a day.