COVID-19 Pandemic Implications for Order Picking Operations

The deadly global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted global supply chains and the working environment in most organizations. This paper looks at the safety and physical distancing implications on order picking operations using routing, storage and picking strategies. Research has shown that the use of traversal and in some cases midpoint routing can yield near optimal results and enable physical distancing. The use of ABC storage does result in less travel for order picking workers but can potentially result in more congestion. Picking strategies that utilize picking zones naturally promote physical distancing but may not be feasible given the picking volume and the layout of the distribution center. Overall, this paper shows that order picking managers can still provide safe workspaces for their employees while achieving cost effective results.