6 replies to this topic

[MRCRSHART]

Searching for help concerning door seals...

 

my company runs about 80 trucks a day distributing produce

 

each truck has roughly 10 to 15 stops...

 

for SQF level 2, is it expected of us to seal the door on every truck, for every customer?

 

we deliver 6 days a week...that's at least 4800 seals for just one week...

 

how are some of you handling this issue? 

[mgourley]

I'm not familiar with the SQF code on this. Would it be allowable to use a sturdy lock and key, that only the driver has access to, to secure these loads? Maybe have a log that the driver keeps that documents when and where the lock was taken off and re-applied?

 

Marshall

[mgourley]

I suppose that all depends on your customers requirements, of course.

[MRCRSHART]

my company tried a lock and key system before...however...drivers were losing keys then tried dial locks, and they were losing those as well...we have 80 drivers...

 

handing out  thousands of door seals a week doesn't seem feasible....

 

still lost...

[Nancy@Masser's]

I'm struggling with this issue right now too.  We too are a produce company (also SQF) and some of our loads are also multiple stop but not as many as you have!  Module 10 does not specifically require seals, although I have had auditors ask me what our seal policy is.  To this point, I've said that we do it if it's a customer requirement.  But I am in the middle of developing a policy that we requiring ALL incoming and outgoing loads to be sealed.  Still not sure if I'm actually going to roll it out as I know I'm going to get major flack from my shipping, receiving, and procurement departments; precisely for the reason you state above.

 

Also, we've recently had some loads stopped by either DOTs or Police, who have broken seals and searched loads (with dogs!!); looking for drugs I guess.  How do you manage that risk??  This just gets harder and harder.  I think I soon need get a job where I just make one thing for 8 hours a day and then go home. 

 

So, yeah, kind of in the same boat as you.

 

[Sebastian Barner]

 Maybe a bit late: How are the  the trucks normally monitored? Some frozen food transporters here in Europe as well as some medical supply transporters handle door openings via doorcontacts on their remote/ web monitoring systems, so, technically, you have electronic "seals".

[SQFconsultant]

Interpretation of the code can sometimes really muck stuff up.

There is no specific requirements in SQF to seal/lock the trailer doors... you are however required to protect your loads from tampering and you must have effective methods/devices in place to effectively SEAL your docking areas so that when a trailer is backed up the opening is fully protected, such as the cushioning or annex type structure.

How you go about protecting your loads is up to you, however you will need to have an effective method for doing so and it must be documented and obviously inplemented.

Glenn Oster