Staging Area Operations Standards and Procedures. Disaster Cycle Services Standards & Procedures DCS SP Deploy Materials, Workers & Technology

Transcription

1 Staging Area Operations Standards and Procedures Disaster Cycle Services Standards & Procedures DCS SP Deploy Materials, Workers & Technology July 2015

2 Change Log Date Page(s) Section Change Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 2

3 Table of Contents Change Log... 2 Introduction... 6 Purpose... 6 Relation to Other Documents... 6 Audience... 6 Scope... 6 Definitions... 7 Distribution... 7 Consolidation... 7 Customer Service... 7 Disaster Operation (also Disaster Relief Operation or DRO )... 7 Disaster Requisition (Form 6409)... 7 Disaster Service Technology... 7 In-Kind Donations (IKD) Unit... 7 Inventory... 7 Less-than-Truckload (LTL)... 7 Life Safety & Asset Protection... 7 Pallet... 8 Pass-Through... 8 Pick... 8 Powered Industrial Truck... 8 Refrigerated Trailer (aka reefer)... 8 Re-warehousing... 8 Scattering... 8 Staging Area... 8 Stock Location System... 8 Zone... 8 Roles, Responsibilities and Authorities... 9 Forklift Operator... 9 Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 3

4 Inventory Worker... 9 Logistics Lead... 9 Logistics Sourcing Worker... 9 Receiving Worker... 9 Shipping Worker... 9 Staging Area Lead Staging Area Worker Transportation Workers Yard Worker Standards and Procedures Acquire Resources Staff Information Technology (IT) Equipment Staging Area Equipment Establish Layout Staging Area Layout Optimum Use of Available Space Controlled Entry and Exit to the Staging Area Break Area Office/Administrative Area Dock Area Inventory Storage Area Stock Location Stock Location System Parking Lot Layout Operate Staging Area Site Orientation Hours of Operations Scheduled Breaks Daily Activity List Assignment of Duties and Reporting Structure Safety Yard Management Receiving Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 4

5 Out-bound Shipments Product Pick-up Product Delivery on an Operation Maintaining Inventory Collaborate with the Disaster Operation Working with Logistics Working with the In-Kind Donations Unit Closing the Staging Area Product & Equipment Returns Salvage/ Transfer Records Returning the Facility Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 5

6 Introduction During disaster operations, a temporary logistics staging area is often established in close proximity to the operation to serve as a central location for the coordination of Red Cross efforts and resources for preparedness, response and recovery. Staging Area Operations (i.e., warehouse operations) provides the means for effective control and distribution of materials. Specifically, staging area operations include the receipt, storage and accounting of materials as well as the delivery of those resources to the point of need. Personnel who work within the staging area ensure that the supplies received are in acceptable condition, tracked, maintained, and distributed appropriately. Material resources are then consolidated post-operation and prepared and sent to the Disaster Field Supply Centers (DFSC) or to other affected units. This standards and procedures document provides guidance for those activities. Purpose The purpose of this document is to describe the process activities, standards, responsibilities and authorities, and control mechanisms for staging area operations. This document articulates the transient establishment, safe operation, management, and efficient closing of staging areas. Relation to Other Documents This document expands on staging area operations described under the Deploy Materials Workers and Technology Framework and the Deploy Materials Workers and Technology Program Essentials. This document also addresses the use of the Powered Industrial Truck Operations Standards and Procedures. In addition, numerous job tools have been developed to support the implementation of these standards and procedures. They can be found in the Staging Area Operations Toolkit on The Exchange. Audience The Staging Area Operations Standards and Procedures document is intended for anyone in the Red Cross who will support staging area operations during a disaster operation. Scope This document covers key components of staging area operations. This includes the process for management of the staging area and receiving, handling, tracking, and delivering material resources to the point of need as well as the redistribution of resources after the service delivery needs of the operation have been met. This process works to fulfill the resource needs identified through other Disaster Cycle Services processes. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 6

7 Definitions Distribution Distribution is the action or process of supplying materials to designated sites and or disaster clients. Consolidation Consolidation is the collection of materials that are to be returned to a Disaster Field Supply Center (DFSC), given to other affected Red Cross units or shipped to other agencies, vendors, etc. Customer Service Customer service is the support provided to other workers on a disaster operation to enable effective and timely service delivery. Disaster Operation (also Disaster Relief Operation or DRO ) A disaster operation is a temporary field-based structure that provides a central location for the coordination of Red Cross efforts and resources for preparedness, response and recovery. Disaster Requisition (Form 6409) A Disaster Requisition is a form used to initiate the requisition process. The form must be signed and approved by an authorized person to request products or services for a disaster operation. Disaster Service Technology Disaster Services Technology is a unit of Red Cross workers who deploy laptops, phones, printers and networking equipment to establish voice and data connectivity in disaster areas to ensure critical operations communications and worker coordination. In-Kind Donations (IKD) Unit The In-Kind Donations Unit is a coordinated activity between fundraising and logistics on a disaster operation to manage in-kind donations. In-Kind Donations In-Kind Donations are donations of products, goods and services at no cost or deeply discounted rates. Inventory Inventory is the receipt, storage, and accounting of materials in the staging area that have not entered the distribution process. Less-than-Truckload (LTL) Less than truckload is a shipment that does not require a full 48 or 53 foot trailer. Life Safety & Asset Protection Life Safety and Asset Protection is the logistics activity responsible for providing a safe and secure operating environment for employees, volunteers, clients, and visitors on a disaster operation. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 7

8 Pallet A pallet is a flat transport structure that supports goods in a stable fashion to be lifted by a forklift, pallet jack or a loader. A pallet is the structural foundation of a unit load, which allows handling and storage efficiencies. Pass-Through Pass-through means providing items donated to the Red Cross to another organization for their use in meeting the needs of disaster clients. Pick Pick means to pull from inventory for shipment. Powered Industrial Truck A powered industrial truck is any mobile power-propelled truck used to carry, push, pull, lift, stack or tier materials (including forklift trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks, and other specialized industrial trucks powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines). It does not include compressed air or nonflammable compressed gas-operated industrial trucks. Refrigerated Trailer (aka reefer) A refrigerated trailer is a shipping container used in (rail, shipping and truck) freight transport that is refrigerated for the transportation of temperature sensitive cargo. Re-warehousing Re-warehousing is the consolidation of two small quantities of the same item into one storage area. Scattering Scattering is placing multiple pallets of the same item in several unassociated areas of a staging area. Staging Area A staging area is where material goods are stored before distribution for disaster operations. Stock Location System The numbering system used to position stock in the staging area so it can be readily located. Zone A zone is created by dividing a storage area into sections that require approximately the same amount of time to count. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 8

9 Roles, Responsibilities and Authorities Forklift Operator Forklift operators are accountable for adhering to Occupational Safety & Health Administration regulations and the Powered Industrial Truck/Forklift Operations Standards and Procedures. They are responsible for thoroughly completing the Forklift Daily Inspection Checklist and ensuring that the forklift they are operating is fully operational before each shift. Operators must not use any forklift that fails any part of an inspection and must inform their supervisors of any deficiencies upon discovery. Operators report any incidents during operation to the Staging Area Lead immediately. Refer to the Powered Industrial Truck/Forklift Operations Standards and Procedures and associated job tools for specifics, questions or concerns about forklift operations. Inventory Worker Inventory workers are responsible for maintaining accurate records of all materials shipped and received in the inventory of the staging area as well as moving product in and out of inventory. They notify the Staging Area Lead on issues impacting material storage and site issues impacting available storage areas. Their specific duties are: Maintaining dedicated storage for any items requiring rapid identification or unique tracking (for example, mass care or in-kind items), Accurately accounting for inventory and updating the Staging Area Inventory Tool, Maintaining segregation of inventory from other inventory in the staging area. Logistics Lead The Logistics Lead is responsible for directing the logistics activities. The Logistics Lead could be a logistics chief, manager or the most experienced logistics worker on an operation. Logistics Sourcing Worker A Logistics Sourcing worker is a volunteer or employee assigned to perform logistics/sourcing tasks for a disaster operation. Sourcing workers are the logistics workers responsible for selecting the sourcing methods to acquire the products and services for the operation. Receiving Worker Receiving workers ensure that shipments are accepted and verified upon delivery to the staging area. Additionally, receiving workers complete paperwork needed for delivery persons and note discrepancies in product counts on the manifest, etc. Logistics workers at the operation headquarters advise receiving workers of the description, quantity, carrier, arrival date and time of incoming materials. Their specific duties are: Confirming and reporting any discrepancies, Accounting for the complete and accurate records of the Staging Area Incoming Shipment Receiving Log, After unloading products, marking them received and completing the Staging Area Receiving Forms. Shipping Worker Shipping workers pull orders for items to meet service delivery. Their specific duties are: Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 9

10 Preparing shipments including picking, palletizing and securing items and loading trucks, Accounting for shipping and delivery confirmation by completing the Staging Area Daily Dispatch Log. Staging Area Lead Staging Area Leads are responsible for all staging area staff, operations and activities. They manage and oversee the execution of all administrative tasks such as planning, coordinating, and assigning tasks and responsibilities to supervisors and workers within a staging area. Staging Area Leads are also responsible for safe operations and efficiency (e.g., monitoring forklift operators, controlling traffic in and around the area, establishing check-in/out procedures, and maintaining equipment) within the staging area. Staging Area Leads are accountable for communicating and receiving operational updates from the operation s leadership. They then pass this information on to the staging area staff. Staging Area Leads are also accountable for establishing staging area layouts, equipment needs, feeding, sanitation, safe operations, accurate and complete reports, and security. Staging Area Worker Staging area workers are assigned tasks by the Staging Area Lead. Staging area workers can be assigned tasks such as inventory, receiving, shipping, yard and forklift operation. Staging area workers may be assigned one or more tasks within the staging area, depending on the size and scope of the operation. All staging area workers are: Responsible for safe operations, Responsible for timely performance of their duties and attention to stewardship, Informed on a daily basis of safety issues, general operational activity and the projected impact on their workload. Transportation Workers Transportation workers fulfill transportation tasks and provide transportation services on a disaster operation. Yard Worker Yard workers ensure there are safe routes for movement of vehicles entering and departing the staging area and maintaining the layout which allows efficient movement of vehicles (which include trailers) through or within the staging area. Yard workers are only assigned on operations that require a warehouse and should spot for trailers that need assistance docking. They are notified on yard issues impacting trailer and vehicle parking and report issues impacting available yard space. Their specific duties are: Communicating with drivers within the staging area, Directing incoming vehicles and maintaining staging area drivers and dispatch logs. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 10

11 Standards and Procedures Acquire Resources Staff Once the staging area has been selected, assessment of staffing needs (number, hours and qualification of staff) should be performed by the Staging Area Lead in coordination with the Logistics Lead. There are many factors that must be considered prior to staff selection. Most critical are: The size of the operation, The design of the staging area, The size and scope of trucking service that will be serving the staging area. These factors determine necessary hours of operation and the special skills required of the staff. For example, certified powered industrial truck (PIT)/forklift operators are required per shift, when a forklift is expected to be needed during that shift. The Staging Area Lead requests the specific staff needed using a Staff Request Form. These should be completely filled out and shared with the Logistics Lead prior to submission to Disaster Staffing. Copies of all staff requests should be kept for the staging area files. Refer to the Staging Area Staffing Checklist for further detail. Information Technology (IT) Equipment IT equipment and connectivity are provided by Disaster Services Technology or the IT Center of Excellence (COE) via the Disaster Requisition. Not all staging areas will have communications equipment requirements. A facilities worker is responsible for ensuring staging areas have power to meet the needs of the IT equipment that will be used on a daily basis by the staging area staff. IT equipment items should be both secured and placed in the office of the staging area or in a space that is safe from hazards. IT equipment for general use by the staging area staff will be the responsibility of the Staging Area Lead until it is returned to Disaster Services Technology. IT equipment can include: Printers/fax machines, Computers, Cell phones/2-way radios. Staging Area Equipment The Staging Area Lead or designee prepares a Disaster Requisition for material handling equipment. Material handling equipment, which could include but is not limited to: forklifts, dock plates, pallet jacks, ladders, gloves etc., is requested as needed per each disaster relief operation. There must be a daily count of equipment and anything missing or damaged must be reported to the Staging Area Lead and a Life Safety & Asset Protection Initial Incident Report should be completed in collaboration with Life Safety & Asset Protection (LSAP). Dumpsters and recycling containers should be checked daily and the Logistics Sourcing worker should be notified when they are approaching their capacity. Refer to the Staging Area Equipment Considerations tool for more information about staging area equipment. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 11

12 Establish Layout Staging Area Layout The Staging Area Lead is responsible for determining the layout of the staging area. When planning the floor plan layout, several things need to be taken into account: Inventory storage space Dock space for receiving Dock space for shipping Office and break areas Requirements for segregated or controlled access stock locations Other spaces as needed Signage should be displayed to indicate that the location is a Red Cross staging area and not a service site. Additionally, there should be internal signage (e.g. Driver Check In, Receiving, Shipping, ERV Loading, dock numbers, Staff Sign In, No Smoking signs, etc.) Care should be taken in placing exterior Red Cross signs. The Red Cross does not serve clients from the staging area. Optimum Use of Available Space Maintenance of a space involves strict control over inbound and outbound loads and reorganizing the staging area as needed. Some considerations for efficient use of a space are: What products are expected? What empty space is available? Where to designate walking paths for pedestrians? Will each service delivery site have a space on the floor for staging shipments? Which area should be used for each product in the inbound load? Where should we place products to be prepared for pick-up or shipment? What products will constantly need to be ready for pick-up or shipment? Is there a loading area for trucks that cannot be loaded from a loading dock? Controlled Entry and Exit to the Staging Area The following guidelines should be observed with regard to entry and exit point for the staging area: All entry points of the staging area should be carefully secured; however, an entry should be decided as the common entrance for all personnel entering the staging area. All doorways or paths in and out of the staging area must be unlocked from the inside, marked and usable. They should also be locked from the outside with the exception of the entrance into the staging area. Exits must be clearly marked, with visible signs indicating the exits. The pathway to the exits must be unobstructed to allow for a quick exit from the staging area in the event of an emergency. Visitors must sign in and out on the Staging Area Visitor s Sign-In Sheet. Staff must sign in and out on the Staging Area Staff Sign-In Sheet. All staging area workers should ensure staff and visitors sign-in and out. All logs must be established and maintained in binders to monitor and record traffic. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 12

13 Break Area Break areas must be in a space separated from the activity of the staging area and its inventory. An area for smoking should be established; it must be 25 feet from the facility and away from any chemicals or potentially hazardous situations. When a staging area lacks a physical break area, a makeshift break area can be created but should not reduce the available space required for the staging area layout. Office/Administrative Area Staging areas sometimes have offices built into the facility. In situations where the staging area does not have an office area isolated or set aside from the general staging area activities, a makeshift office can be created in an expandable area. When possible, the office should be readily accessible and secluded enough to conduct business. The space must be able to support IT equipment, office supplies, and a work area for four persons. Offices should have adequate heating, cooling and ventilation. Staging area workers should request remediation from facilities as required. Dock Area The size of the relief operation dictates the size of the staging area needed and thus the dock area required. For larger operations, the dock receiving area should be large enough to simultaneously unload two trailers and place the loads (52 pallet footprints) in a reception area for counting before being placed in the general inventory. The area must be well-lit. There should also be space set aside for preparing outbound shipments when possible. This will be determined by the size and rate of outbound shipments anticipated. Inventory Storage Area Placement of palletized products Palletized products should be placed in two rows of side-by-side pallets with an unobstructed aisle between the next two rows of side-by-side pallets, enabling visual inspection for inventory counting. Since the amount of product to be handled by the staging area is unknown, pallets should be double stacked where possible from the beginning of the storage process to make best use of the space. If the end of the row away from an aisle is next to a wall or closed off space, a four-foot walkway must be created as a fire lane. Forklift operators and receiving staff must work together to place partial pallets in a holding area while full pallets are placed in rows first. Partial pallets are placed on the aisle end of the row and labeled pick first. Rows should be marked with an adhesive label, placed on the floor at the end of the row, and then covered with clear packing tape. A Staging Area Counted Row Tag should be placed on the end pallet of every row. If a row is accessible from both ends, one end of the row should be marked Do Not Pull from This End. Work patterns should be established to minimize foot traffic where forklifts are operational and should follow strict forklift training and guidance when they are. Aisles and walkways Aisles should be 10 to 12 feet wide with a four-foot fire lane between pallet rows next to exterior areas/walls. Walkways and aisles must be kept clear of any clutter that could pose a health or safety hazard. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 13

14 Inventory staff must be able to see the top pallet when pallets are double stacked. Pallets should never be stacked more than two pallets high. Separation of products Donated product should be separated from other products. Cleaning supplies and products that may be toxic (bleach, insect repellant, etc.) must be separated from other products in the staging area especially any and all food and drink products. Products that are not issuable should be separated from other products as well. To effectively separate products, at least a four foot space of separation is required. Secure storage The staging area may be required to provide secure storage. Life Safety and Asset Protection should be consulted and review the security plans for such storage. Life Safety and Asset Protection has the primary responsibility for security and should coordinate implementation of measures such as security fencing, locks, alarms, additional security personnel or monitoring. Refer to the Staging Area Security Checklist for more detail. Stock Location Storage location decisions should be made based on the availability of overall space, the type of dock, the number of bay doors, like products and brands, and the flow of the product through the staging area. Also, it may be best to place fast moving product close to the area where product will be prepared and staged for release/shipment from the staging area. Considerations for stocking products in the staging area are: Keep identical products together. Place like products in the same vicinity e.g. beverages, vegetables, cookies, chips, etc. Place fast-moving items near the staging area to reduce picking times. Double stack product where possible to conserve floor space. Stock Location System The numbering system can be determined at the discretion of the Staging Area Lead, but stock locations must be clearly identifiable. Standard removable painters tape is commonly used to mark the corners of the rows along the aisle end of the rows on the floor. R for Row and number (R1, R2, etc.), are used for most stock in the staging area. Segregated storage is typically given readily identifiable location codes, e.g. In-Kind Donation product locations are labeled as IR1, IR2, etc. Parking Lot Layout The following guidelines should be observed with regard to the parking lot layout for the staging area: Depending on the size and expected use of the staging area, the parking lot needs to be adequately spacious and conducive to rapid movement of larger vehicles. The Staging Area Lead should establish the flow of traffic prior to opening the location. General transportation vehicles should park in a designated area that is out of the way of the flow of traffic. If space is available and the option is beneficial to the operation, establish a plan for parking trailers, trucks, ERVs and staff vehicles. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 14

15 Operate Staging Area Site Orientation All persons assigned to the staging area are to be provided a basic overview before they begin work at the staging area. Basic information about staging area operations should be shared including: Hours of operation, Scheduled breaks, Daily activity list, Assignment of duties and reporting structure, Meeting location in case emergency occurs at the site Safety, including: o Incident reporting, o Accident reporting, o Security of the building and locations of emergency exits o How workers will be notified of an emergency (alarms, bull horn, phone call, etc.). A map should be created with simple directions to the staging area and shared with staging area workers, bulk distribution workers and others as needed. If there are cellular dead spots near the staging area, share that with workers. Hours of Operation Staging area hours of operations are determined by the Staging Area Lead and the Logistics Lead in collaboration with the operation s Director. At the start of an operation, typical staging area hours of operation are 12-hour days all week. In the initial phases of an operation, having a 24-hour staging area can be necessary. This is usually accomplished with two 12-hour shifts or a 36-hour cycle (3 shifts of 12 hours). Manpower considerations will dictate whether 24-hour staging area operations are possible. Staging area leadership should determine staffing needs and submit another staff request if additional support is required. As an operation continues and workloads diminish, hours can be reduced to lessen the stress on the staff. Scheduled Breaks The Staging Area Lead should create a weekly schedule that will detail the staging area workers daily work schedule and lunch breaks. Any additional breaks needed during their work schedule should fall under guidance set by Disaster Staffing. Staging area workers should always advise their supervisor before taking a break. Daily Activity List At the start of each shift, staging area leadership should advise the staging area workers of the daily activity list which includes what is expected, quantity of shipments, and time of delivery. Assignment of Duties and Reporting Structure All Staging Area Workers should be assigned responsibilities that they are to complete and should be advised who their direct supervisor will be. Safety The following guidelines must be observed with regard to maintaining staging area safety: Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 15

16 The Red Cross follows Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety regulations and all state and local worker safety regulations. Staging area leadership must identify any hazards the Facilities Lead may not have noticed when acquiring the location, and additionally determine who might be harmed and how, evaluate the risk, decide on necessary precautions, and record and communicate finding with the Logistics Lead and staging area workers. It is the responsibility of the staging area leadership to ensure all personnel operating in the staging area are aware of hazards that are in and/or around the staging area and to ensure safeguards from hazards (e.g. sectioning off an unsafe areas of the staging area). Each shift should start with a safety briefing noting changes in conditions and anticipated activity that may pose additional hazards. It should include a discussion of ongoing safety concerns with staging area workers, including possible health issues related to staging area temperatures (extreme heat or cold). Workers must be instructed to report any unsafe conditions immediately. Each worker must review the Staging Area Worker Safety Checklist. Each worker should receive a site safety briefing including information about the location of first aid equipment. Workers should refer to the Powered Industrial Truck/Forklift Operations Standards and Procedures for all questions or information related to forklifts. If a worker is incapable of performing an assigned task, reassign that worker within the staging area or send the worker to Disaster Staffing for reassignment to a position better suited to their skills or to prevent hazards and/or injuries. While not all staging area accidents are caused by bad housekeeping and sanitation, a large number of them are. Spills or leakage due to Red Cross materials should be cleaned immediately and if there is a leak in the staging area, the Staging Area Lead must take steps to mitigate the leak from affecting operations by involving the Facilities Lead to work with the property owner for remediation as necessary. Handling equipment must be properly maintained according to the manual that came with the equipment, to avoid equipment failure that can cause personnel injuries and accidents. Hazards at a site that cannot be or that are not to be corrected by staging area staff, should be sectioned off as appropriate and the Facilities Lead should be contacted for remediation. Workers should be instructed with the following safety precautions: Lift with your legs, not your back. Do not overexert yourself. And know when to use a forklift to accomplish a task. Incident Reporting The following guidelines must be followed in response to accidents or incidents at the staging are: Any time there is an incident or accident, the Staging Area Lead and the Logistics lead should be notified so that the most appropriate actions can be taken. If an incident calls for emergency services, workers should call 911 immediately and then notify the Staging Area Lead. Any accident involving possible injury, actual injury, or harm to a Red Cross worker(s) on the operation requires Staff Wellness to be notified so that a nurse will be able to assess the worker and provide health care support. The Staff Wellness responder will complete a Disaster Staff Health Injury and Illness Record. The Facilities Lead should be informed when there is damage/destruction to the staging area. The Staging Area Lead is responsible for ensuring accident reports for staging area vehicles are completed and submitted to Transportation in a timely fashion. The Driver is responsible for completing the Vehicle Accident Reporting Kit and submitting the Driver s Report of Accident form. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 16

17 Housekeeping Proper housekeeping maintains a safe work environment, improves staff morale, decreases damage to product and equipment, and improves productivity. Each staging area staff member is responsible for maintaining a clean, orderly work environment and ensuring that visitors comply with established procedures. To maintain a clean and safe work environment, procedures should address: Keeping the dock and all entrances clear of resting material and debris, Immediately cleaning up all spills of products and leakage from products or equipment, Picking up all loose material and ensuring its proper disposal, Maintaining proper lighting. Sanitation The staging area should have proper sanitary facilities for staff, including restrooms/portable toilets and potable water for drinking and hand washing. Questions/concerns about sanitation should be brought to the attention of Staff Wellness or Disaster Health Services, if Staff Wellness is not present. The Staff Wellness responder will also assess the area for potential health hazards. In addition to proper sanitary facilities, procedures must be established to maintain a clean environment for the goods stored in the staging area. To prevent product contamination, procedures will address: Rodent exclusion and extermination, Bird control, Insect control, Inspection of inbound products for damage due to rodents, Cleanup methods and equipment. Other types of contamination can occur through odor transfer from an odoriferous product to one that has absorption qualities, or by leakage, staining, and chemical reaction caused by incompatible items stored in close proximity. An example is storing bleach next to vinegar. Staging area procedures should seek to avoid this kind of contamination. Mitigating Risk The Staging Area Lead is responsible for checking the staging area to make sure that it is clean and that any damages caused during the relief operation are noted and repaired throughout the operation. Damage to the staging area can be minimized with constant reminders of correct storage and handling practices and knowledge of the sources of chemical reaction or cross-contamination. The following steps should be followed to help reduce damage: Handle four-way pallets from the ends. Some pallets offer notches on the sides to facilitate access from any direction. Moving pallets using these notches will lessen the pallet s stability. Avoid the use of forks that are too long and protrude on the other side of the pallet. Remove unrecoverable and/or damaged product from inventory and salvage it. Maintain aisle widths of nine to twelve feet. Ensure that aisles are clear and well-marked. Avoid over-loading equipment or operating at excessive speeds. Ensure materials that cause vapors or fumes are well marked and stored (out of the way and/or along the wall), handled, and transported according to regulations. Always follow the guidance for MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) when a product or material requires it. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 17

18 Security and Loss Prevention Life Safety and Asset Protection should be contacted with security issues. All personnel should be aware of unknown persons in the staging area and surrounding areas. Proper maintenance and execution of operating procedures will reduce product loss, equipment damage and increase staging area efficiency. High value or specialty items must be secured in either a separate locked area or in a location easily observed by staging area staff. Placing these items in a locked trailer in a highly visible location is acceptable. Refer to the Staging Area Security Checklist for specific detail. The Red Cross encourages employees and volunteers to contact their supervisors or members of local management directly if they suspect fraud, waste or abuse. Employees or volunteers who are not comfortable contacting supervisors, local or senior management may call the Concern Connection Line at or they may report their concerns online. Yard Management When ERVs and staging area vehicles are not being loaded and unloaded, they should be in an area where they are out of the way of staging area operations and accessible to their crews. Access to parked trailers, trucks, etc. must be limited to authorized staff. At shared locations, (other than Red Cross operated locations), all Red Cross trucks and trailers should be parked together. Certain vehicles placed at the staging area should be counted and monitored daily. The temperature and fuel level on refrigerated trailers are to be checked every 4 hours and recorded on the Staging Area Reefer Log. If a reefer has half a tank of fuel remaining, Transportation should be notified so they can arrange for re-fueling. Trailers should be counted twice a day at minimum and recorded in the Staging Area Trailer Log. If any problems are detected (tires, doors, etc.) report them to Transportation quickly so delay to service delivery is avoided. Copies of these sheets are to be sent to the Logistics Sourcing worker and Transportation daily. Receiving Recording of inventory Receiving is a critical activity. The verification of the inbound product is the baseline for inventory management. This inventory is shared with the Logistics team. In a staging area, there is a dedicated receiving area where all incoming shipments are unloaded, counted, compared against the vendor bill of lading (BOL) and then placed into inventory and recorded on the Staging Area Daily Incoming Shipment Receiving Log. It is imperative that all inbound freight is properly accounted for and the paperwork done correctly. An accurate inventory is a must. Managing incoming shipments As incoming freight (returned product or new product) arrives at an operation, the staging area staff may or may not know what is in-bound. It is important that unscheduled shipments be kept to a minimum as they can disrupt staging area activities. Staging area workers prioritize intake of deliveries. Deliveries with identifiable paperwork (e.g., bills of lading with a product list, invoices, etc.) are unloaded immediately. It is the truck driver s responsibility to present the product matching the BOL to the receiving worker. Loads with shorts bills or pallet counts are held until product can be identified and properly processed through receiving. Refer to the Staging Area Receiving Supplies Checklist. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 18

19 In-kind donations Staging area workers must follow these guidelines when managing shipments of in-kind donations: Shipments that come in as in-kind donations must be tracked as in-kind donations and clearly marked IKD from receipt to distribution. Any questions as to the identification of a shipment, billed or donation, should be directed to the In-Kind Donations contact at the DRO headquarters. The original bill of lading for in-kind donation shipments should be given to the In-Kind Donations unit on the operation and the staging area should keep a copy. In-Kind product must be clearly marked IKD. If count pallet tags that say IKD are unavailable, staging area workers should write IKD on tags and attach on all 4 sides of the pallet, so the pallet can be inventoried properly and recorded by the staging area inventory worker. Product expiration dates Products past their expiration dates should not be unloaded. The Logistics Lead should be notified to determine if Red Cross should accept any shipment that is expired or near expiration. Shipments from a Disaster Field Supply Center Any shipment ordered from Disaster Field Supply Center (DFSC) warehouses as a Drop Trailer should have a seal on it. Drop Trailer shipments may arrive at their destination after hours not requiring a signature. A shipment ordered as a pick up and deliver may or may not have a seal. If the driver is picking up from the Disaster Field Supply Center and delivering to a staging area the same day or next day, the shipment is not required to be sealed. If a shipment is sealed, staging area personnel should inspect the seal for integrity, noting any discrepancy on the staging area s copy of the bill of lading and the Receiving Tool. Non-palletized shipments Palletized shipments allow for swift and orderly unloading and are the preferred way to receive shipments. There can be exceptions that will require unloading by hand or additional labor: Less than truckload carriers deliver a few pieces, Overnight carriers shipping a single envelope, The Disaster Field Supply Center s shipping commodes, Slip-sheet and dead stacked are methods of filling trailers without using pallets. The slip-sheet method uses a specialized forklift to load stretch wrapped cargo without using a pallet. When shipments are dead stacked, cargo is stacked loose in a trailer. Both must be unloaded by hand. When unloading a non-palletized load, particular care must be taken to place like items on their own pallets with uniformity for pallets of each type so they can be tagged with a counted pallet tag and inventoried. The counted pallet tags list specific information about a product such as: Item Description, Stock Number, Quantity, Unit of Measure. Shipments arriving with un-palletized loads can cause disturbances to the productivity of the receiving dock. If a trailer must be unloaded by hand it can disrupt normal staging area operations and must be dealt with carefully. The Staging Area Lead must be informed and a plan developed to facilitate the unloading. There may be a delay until a proper crew is assembled and space allocated. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 19

20 Out-bound Shipments Shipping workers fill orders with staging area inventory and ship them to service delivery sites or to requestors on the disaster operation. Shipping workers load trucks, prepare and deliver orders, establish routes to service delivery sites and obtain appropriate signatures on paperwork. All products should be properly packaged (stretch wrapped, rope, strapping and/or banding as necessary) before they are shipped out of the staging area. Shipping may need to be broken into shifts; each shift responsibilities should be discussed with the Logistics Lead and shared with the staging area staff once decisions are made. Filling Orders The Logistics Sourcing worker submits orders to the staging area on a Disaster Requisition. The inventory team uses the Disaster Requisition to pull the items from inventory and place them in the shipping area. Upon receiving the order, workers verify the item(s) name and quantity, delivery date requested, the requestors name, address and phone number. Requestors should be notified what day and time product is to be delivered and alerted if the product could take more than 24 hours to deliver. For assistance, refer to the Staging Area Filling Orders Checklist. Order Picking There are several options for organizing order picking: A crew or an individual can be assigned the responsibility of picking one or more orders, A crew or an individual can pick either from the entire inventory or pick only from specific zones, A group of orders can be batch picked (see below) and broken out into the individual orders at the shipping dock, or each order can be picked on an individual basis. To reduce errors in order picking, three elements should be present: An item location system with number identifiers maintained by the staging area inventory team, Clear item identification on both the order (verified when received by the staging area) and the item inventory (verified when picked and staged for shipping), A clear description of the quantity required. When orders are ready to be shipped and palletized, workers place the Staging Area Ship Tag on each pallet. Batch picking Batch picking is the consolidation of two or more orders on the order picking document and picking all items for later segregation in the shipping area. Batch picking is effective with items that are small in size, small order quantities, and/or easy to separate at the shipping dock. Batch picking affords an opportunity to catch picking errors, since the combined counts of individual orders must correspond with the total count of the batch pick. The shipping area may be broken down into a temporary sorting area where the individual orders are prepared for shipment. For example, there might be a sorting area set up for each kitchen. Batch picking represents double handling of each order, but it provides a means to verify the accuracy of the pick. Product Pick-up When space allows, staging areas can establish an area where requested material can be placed and issued directly to requestors. The Logistics Sourcing worker and the staging area leadership should communicate so that items and any support needed by the requestor can be made available for product pick-up. On the rare occasions that product pick-up is to occur, the staging area must be provided a Disaster Requisition before products can be released to the requestor. Forklift operators should be Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 20

21 available to assist when needed. For bulk distribution, it may be best to stage pallets rather than individual items to increase the speed and efficiency in the transfer. Product Delivery on an Operation Staging area workers should follow these guidelines when performing product delivery: Shipping workers should fill out the Staging Area Daily Dispatch Log daily. This log records all shipments that will be transported by the staging area in support of the disaster operation. Products to be shipped must be properly packaged or shrink wrapped and clearly identify the destination on the pallet or order. Address material handling needs and staff needs with the delivery site so accommodations can be made by the staging area if available. Staging area vehicles and workers can be used to deliver materials. Ensure that maps for all delivery routes and the surrounding area are available for the drivers. Ensure that drivers are provided information about road conditions, including road closures, etc. whenever possible. Refer to the Staging Area Driver's Delivery Checklist for driver delivery guidance. Maintaining Inventory Staging area workers should follow these guidelines for maintaining inventories: Update the Staging Area Inventory Tool daily as product is placed into the inventory. Inventory must be updated by the inventory worker whenever there are changes, e.g. when products arrive, when products leave, and when an inventory is to be performed. All paperwork of the staging area inventory is to be kept in binders (either in the Staging Area Incoming Shipment Receiving Log or the Staging Area Inventory Tool). The Logistics Sourcing worker should receive an update on the inventory three times a day at minimum and the staging area leadership should discuss with the Logistics Lead if and when to send more or less. Conducting a Physical Inventory Inventory of product in the staging area must be taken in accordance with the Inventory Standards and Procedures. Refer to the Staging Area Inventory Count Checklist for further detail when conducting an inventory. Inventory of Trailers A filing system to keep track of all trailers dropped at the staging area should be created and maintained. Separate the files based on trailers On Site and trailers Off Site in the Staging Area Trailer Log. All paperwork and correspondence pertaining to a trailer is put in the file. When a trailer leaves or reenters the staging area, remember to re-file the information appropriately. It may be necessary to keep a spreadsheet of the trailers as an easy reference. The staging area also provides Logistics with a daily list of trailers both loaded and empty so Logistics continues use of the trailers or sends them back to the vendor. Sourcing and Reconciliation in turn furnishes the staging area with the disposition information to keep only needed trailers on a relief operation. Empty trailers will not be kept near the loading area unless they are to be loaded immediately. As trailers are unloaded, they will be moved to a holding area away from the loading area and when necessary they should be sealed with a lock or some other method of sealing, and always marked empty. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 21

22 Collaborate with the Disaster Operation Working with Logistics Collaboration between the Staging Area and the Logistics Sourcing worker will keep costs down and inventory at needed levels. The Staging Area receives all Disaster Requisition orders from the Logistics Sourcing worker and relies on them to properly vet the Disaster Requisition so that orders proceed smoothly through the shipping process. Logistics is continuously informed by the staging area of current inventory and incoming shipments to reconcile what has been received against what has been ordered. The staging area has the responsibility of returning the completed Disaster Requisition to the Logistics Sourcing worker allowing the three way match to be made. Working with the In-Kind Donations Unit A close relationship between the staging area and the In-Kind Donations unit is essential for smooth operations as large quantities of material can be donated, sometimes unsolicited. Unsolicited in-kind donations can disrupt the relief operation and staging area activities. The staging area and In-Kind Donations unit keep each other informed either through Sourcing and Reconciliation or directly to better track donated product and deal with unsolicited product arriving at the staging area. The In-Kind Donations unit helps stem the flow of unsolicited donations by informing the staging area of requested shipments and at times by having personnel work out of the staging area. Also, In-Kind Donations in coordination with the staging area assists with the pass through of unused donated product to proper community partners. The In-Kind Donations unit must approve all transfer of donated goods from the staging area. Closing the Staging Area It is the responsibility of the Staging Area Lead to make sure the staging area is returned to the owner in the same condition that it was in prior to Red Cross taking possession. When the operation leadership observes a diminishing need for the staging area, the process to close the staging area begins. Some considerations for closing the staging area are: Cleaning the staging area and any surrounding areas used, Consolidating supplies, Planning for the disposal of items, Having dumpster service shut down, Taking an accurate inventory count (reconciling received and shipped supplies), Distributing or disposing of surplus goods, Preparing items for return to the Disaster Field Supply Center, regions, chapters and vendors or for distribution to other agencies. The speed with which the staging area can be emptied and closed is dictated by several factors, including: How many trucks are available to make deliveries? How many drivers are available? When can the receiving agencies accept delivery of or pick up pass-through products or equipment? Community Partnerships can help coordinate the pass-through of commodities to local voluntary agencies, but ensure the In-Kind Donations unit is engaged for in-kind product. The receiving agency is responsible for picking up the commodities unless other arrangements have been made. Owner: Disaster Cycle Services 22