Project Overview
This 125,000 sq ft grocery distribution center in Greater Toronto handles ambient and chilled food products, with automated case picking lines and manual order picking zones. Peak-shift noise from conveyors, sortation systems and forklift traffic made verbal pick instructions difficult to follow, and the operator was facing increasing worker’s compensation claims related to noise exposure. The upgrade had to be completed during off-peak hours with no disruption to order fulfillment schedules.
Key Acoustic Challenges
- Broadband noise from conveyors and material handling equipment builds up across high-ceiling warehouse spaces
- Manual picking staff rely on clear verbal communication, which is degraded by long warehouse reverberation
- Acoustic materials must be food-warehouse safe: non-shedding, easy to clean and compliant with Canadian food safety facility standards
Solution Delivered
High-noise sortation lines were lined with modular MLV sound barriers to contain direct equipment noise and reduce propagation to picking aisles. The main picking hall ceiling received high-density fiberglass acoustic ceiling tiles with sealed non-friable surfaces, reducing overall hall reverberation and lowering background noise levels for order pickers. All materials were prefabricated off-site and installed during overnight shifts to avoid daytime fulfillment operations.
Measurable Outcomes
- Picking aisle noise levels reduced by 36%, meeting Canadian occupational noise exposure guidelines
- Pick instruction communication error rates dropped by 29% following the acoustic upgrade
- Zero order fulfillment disruption occurred during the installation period
- All materials meet food-warehouse cleanliness requirements and CAN/ULC fire safety standards
Industry Impact
This project is cited as a best-practice example for grocery logistics acoustics, showing that targeted noise reduction directly improves both occupational safety and operational accuracy in high-throughput distribution environments.
