BRC Non conformance

I recieved a non conformance on my BRC audit yesterday and i was wondering if anybody can give any advice in correcting this. I have an idea but i would like to pick brains on this one please.

Non Conformace - Procedure does not detail what an acceptable temperature range is for vehicle freezer units. (Limits set)

Currently we have a vehicle that may turn up at an ambient temperature due to freezer not on. We set the freezer at -25'c but load it with it not switched on due to H&S rules (dont know whether you have come across this). We then close the doors then say good bye.

My thoughts were either - have the vehicle set its fridge to -25, wait for the temperature to reach -10'c, turn of the fridge then load then turn fridge back on.

Please advise welcome

Dear a stoker,

Sorry but I didn't quite understand yr requirement.

IMEX for frozen export, the container service do a compulsory pre-testing of temperature setting / attainability before delivery to factory with data certification sheet provided (for vendor audit purposes) (the test is also [briefly] visible on the chart I think). Then they close down the cooling so that at the factory all loading is at ambient temp. followed by closing the doors. The producer simply verifies that the truck cooling system is set to the desired level and waves goodbye. The onwards is responsibility of container company (and insurance / container chart where problems).

The vendor is not personally allowed to "tinker' with the temperature settings for obvious reasons.

Are you saying that vehicle usage is totally yr own responsibility (?!!) and you need a similar procedure to the above. ? If so, there is a standard routine - temperature settings somewhere on the IT published by the container companies but I don't know the link off-hand. The container supplier IMEX is required to demonstrate the full (local), negative degC temperature requirement. Alternatives will depend on yr instrumental capabilities / local regs perhaps ?

Rgds / Charles.C

Hello A Stoker,

To which BRC-clause, was this non-conformity?

Is transport temperature a CCP at your company?

Hi OP,

I have experiance of this issue...although against the Tesco standard not BRC.
I felt it was part of the issue of maintaing the cold chain with in frozen/chilled transport.

The fridge unit in chill/freezer containers should be switched off for loading. The r4ason is that if left running the outside moist air gets sucked into the container and then onto the evaporator unit causing it to ice up.

So because taking an air temp of a switched off unit is of no use...taking a fridge unit "set temp" gives a reasonable indication.

As far as ensuring hauler can maintain temp...it should be in your/part of hauler contract that temps can be maintained and documented (datalogger print outs).

regards

Dave.

Apologies OP...should have mentioned that you should revise/amend your goods outward checksheet to include Unit set temp and have it counter signed by the person responsible for setting the unit ( i.e the driver).