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Commitment and contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitment and contingencies Commitments and contingencies
(a)Self‑insured risks
The Company is self‑insured for workers’ compensation costs, with the Company’s workers’ compensation plan having an individual claim stop‑loss deductible of $1 million. Self‑insurance liabilities are determined by third-party actuaries. The Company has established restricted cash accounts with banks or directly with the insurers or letters of credit that are collateral for its self‑insured workers’ compensation obligations. The combined amount included in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities and Other long-term liabilities relating to workers’ compensation liabilities as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $47 million and $40 million, respectively. The liability represents the gross amount excluding amounts receivable from the insurers. The total included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets and Other assets related to the receivables from insurers as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $12 million and $11 million, respectively.
The Company is also self‑insured for a portion of employee medical costs. The Company has a medical plan with a retained deductible. Medical self‑insurance liabilities are determined by third‑party actuaries. The total included in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities relating to medical liabilities as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $16 million and $15 million, respectively.
(b)Legal and regulatory proceedings
The Company, from time to time and in the normal course of business, is party to various claims, lawsuits, arbitrations, and regulatory actions (collectively, “Claims”). In particular, as the result of numerous ongoing construction activities, the Company may be a party to construction and/or contractor related liens and claims, including mechanic’s and materialmen’s liens. The Company is also party to various Claims relating to commercial disagreements with customers or suppliers. Additionally, given the Company’s substantial workforce, and, in particular, its warehouse related workforce, the Company is party to various labor and employment related Claims, including, without limitation, Claims related to workers’ compensation, wage and hour, discrimination, and related matters. Finally, given the Company’s business of warehousing refrigerated food products and its utilization of anhydrous ammonia for its refrigeration systems
(a known hazardous material), the Company is subject to the jurisdiction of various U.S. regulatory agencies, including, without limitation, the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), Department of Justice, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and various other agencies in the locations in which the Company operates. Management of the Company believes the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on the condensed consolidated financial statements.
(c)Environmental matters
The Company is subject to a wide range of environmental laws and regulations in each of the locations in which the Company operates. Compliance with these requirements can involve significant capital and operating costs. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in civil or criminal fines or sanctions, claims for environmental damages, remediation obligations, the revocation of environmental permits, or restrictions on the Company’s operations.
The Company records accruals for environmental matters when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated based on current law and existing technologies. The Company adjusts these accruals periodically as assessment and remediation efforts progress or as additional technical or legal information become available. The Company has recorded nominal environmental liabilities in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023. The Company believes it is in compliance with applicable environmental regulations in all material respects. Under various U.S. federal, state, and local environmental laws, a current or previous owner or operator of real estate may be liable for the entire cost of investigating, removing, and/or remediating hazardous or toxic substances on such property. Such laws often impose liability, whether or not the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the contamination. Even if more than one person may have been responsible for the contamination, each person covered by the environmental laws may be held responsible for the entire clean-up cost. There are no material unrecorded liabilities as of the periods ended June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023. Most of the Company’s warehouses utilize anhydrous ammonia as a refrigerant. Anhydrous ammonia is classified as a hazardous chemical regulated by the EPA and various other agencies in the locations in which the Company operates, and an accident or significant release of anhydrous ammonia from a warehouse could result in injuries, loss of life, and property damage.
(d)Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
The Company’s warehouses located in the U.S. are subject to regulation under OSHA, which requires employers to provide employees with an environment free from hazards, such as exposure to toxic chemicals, excessive noise levels, mechanical dangers, heat or cold stress, and unsanitary conditions. The cost of complying with OSHA and similar laws enacted by states and other jurisdictions in which the Company operates can be substantial, and any failure to comply with these regulations could expose the Company to substantial penalties and/or liabilities to employees who may be injured at the Company’s warehouses. The Company records accruals for OSHA matters when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated. The Company believes that it is in compliance with all OSHA regulations in all material respects and that no material unrecorded liabilities exist as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
(e)Statesville, North Carolina
On January 10, 2020, contractors and subcontractors were working on the blast cells at the Company’s freezer warehouse in Statesville, North Carolina when an incident occurred triggering the release of anhydrous ammonia at the facility, resulting in the death of a subcontractor and injury to another subcontractor, as well as damage to customers’ goods. Litigation is ongoing with respect to this incident, and while the Company believes it has a strong defense to any potential claims, the Company could be subject to losses in unknown amounts. The Company believes the ultimate outcome of this matter will not have a material adverse impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements. No material costs have been incurred in relation to this matter.
(f)Kennewick, Washington warehouse fire
On April 21, 2024, a fire occurred at the Company’s warehouse in Kennewick, Washington, destroying the building and customer inventories. No employees or other parties were injured. The Company expects all repair, replacement, and clean-up costs to be covered by its insurance policies, excluding any deductibles and self-insured retentions. To date, the Company has not received any claims for customer inventories losses. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, the Company recorded income from expected insurance recoveries of $32 million, which represents the amount of insurance reimbursement up to the carrying value of the impaired assets of $24 million and $9 million of clean-up costs, net of $1 million deductible expense. The net loss of $1 million is presented in Restructuring, impairment, and (gain) loss on disposals in the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss). As of June 30, 2024, the Company recorded a $32 million insurance receivable, presented in Accounts receivable, net in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Subsequently to June 30, 2024, the Company has collected the entire insurance receivable in cash.