Passing the Buck
Hi everyone,
Our company has been trying for ages to find a way of retaining temperature control on frozen products on the back of a chilled van. Health and Safety have urged us to avoid the dry ice route and cool boxes just don't work.
Our MD recently visited a similar company a long way from us to see how they do things and one of the ways they get around this problem is by advising the customer that when they receive their frozen goods they are going to be warmer than the legal threshold (potentially completely thawed) so the products are not to be refrozen, essentially deeming them as ready for immediate processing. Obviously they know what the chefs receiving them will probably do but that way they see it as the temperature buck being passed at the point of loading onto the vehicles rather than during delivery.
Good idea (though a bit naughty maybe)?
Cheers,
Andy
Hi Andy,
Not sure of the legality of this. If you know that the goods will be refrozen when they are not suitable for refreezing, then you are probably liable in some part. Have you considered using portable freezers (http://www.minicoole.../compressor.htm) and requiring their return? You might use some form of deposit, or even require that your customers provide one for you to place the goods in.
I know it's a clunky solution, and you may find that your customers will contact you and accept full responsibility (in writing).
Hi Andy,
[Good(?) idea] maybe more accurate ?.
Just out of curiosity, are the refs to H&S anecdotal ?.
For comparison perhaps this FSA document -
FSA - Guidance Temperature Control Legislation in UK,,2016.pdf 394.44KB 14 downloads
Note, for example, Paras 1-8, 13 etc. (Brexit may change some of this i suppose).
Thanks for the link Charles, the reference to H&S is actually the MD making the statement from a H&S point of view but the overall point stands there. From looking at paragraph 13 it looks like we could be in a spot of bother if we try this. It just makes me wonder because the company we stole the idea from is BRC accredited and says the measure satisfies their standard.
Andy