Coupang Logistics expands shielded cooling zones, mist-spray systems to beat summer heat

Coupang Logistics Service (CLS) announced Thursday it would expand installation of a mist-spray cooling system — dubbed "cooling fog" — to workspaces where conventional air conditioning is difficult to install, building on its existing shielded large-scale cooling zone operation.

Last year, CLS installed shielded large-scale cooling zones at sub-hubs (parcel sorting terminals) nationwide, combining cold-air containment curtains with ceiling-mounted air conditioners suited to the characteristics of logistics workspaces. The company also tested the cooling fog system, which lowers ambient temperatures for workers in open-structure environments by spraying a fine water mist.

Thermal imaging measurements of facial skin surface temperatures before and after cooling fog operation showed a reduction of more than 3 degrees Celsius. The system sprays ultra-fine water particles of about 7 micrometers or smaller — less than one-tenth the diameter of a human hair (roughly 70 to 100 micrometers) — which absorb heat as they disperse.

CLS is rolling out the cooling fog system across the country. At facilities where rooftops are exposed to direct sunlight, the company is testing rooftop cooling fog installations. One quick-flex delivery worker said the system "is a big help, as it eases the heat before and after loading."

Meanwhile, in June CLS ran a heat illness prevention campaign in which medical professionals visited delivery camps to counsel contract delivery drivers on prevention methods and encourage them to book health checkups fully subsidized by CLS. The company has also signed an agreement with KMI Korean Medical Institute to operate health screening and wellness management programs for delivery drivers affiliated with its contracted delivery partners.

"We will continue to do our best to ensure that delivery drivers working with our contracted partners can work in a safe and comfortable environment," a CLS official said.