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Taste Maker

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Posted 25 June 2015 - 03:59 PM

We recently had a truck load of products refused at their destination due to ants on products. When the truck was loaded at our dock there were no ants present and the driver checked the BOL showing there were no rodents, bugs or bad odors and signed for the load. However, when it arrived 200 miles away there WERE ants on bags of product as shown in pictures that were provided by the refusal party. So, my question to the forum is how to handle an issue like this where all parties do not admit liability and how to keep it from happening again in the corrective action sense? Is there a template for transportation companies to fill out concerning what is done on their end to assure their trucks are maintained in a way that prevents contamination? Currently, we access the inside and outside condition of the vehicle but, what measures should be taken by the transporting party to ensure safe movement of products once it leaves our dock? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Taste Maker



Loni Banaszak

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Posted 25 June 2015 - 05:14 PM

Are you sealing the trailer, as in a lock tag? or is this like a LTL shipment (not a full trailer)? If you are using tags to seal the trailer, the driver would have to document in his logs (which you can request to see) that he is removing the tag. He then should log what tag number is replacing if he does break the seal. You could then put the liability back on the trucking company for opening the sealed trailer.


Thanks,

 

Loni


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Posted 25 June 2015 - 06:12 PM

Loni,

 

I believe it was sealed but, at some point after leaving our dock, the trailer must have been parked somewhere near an ant hill and the ants entered the truck I believe. Would you think it would be on the transport company, as it turns out, to ensure safe delivery if sealed? Well, the trucking company ended up returning the product free of charge in order to keep us happy although they felt that they had done their part and we could not prove otherwise. I guess what I am getting at is whether there is something like the wording in the Cosmetic Act of 1937 that says a food product or ingredient "must not be stored in a manner that is likely to cause contamination" in a transportation sense. That is, do trucking companies have to follow Good Transportation Practices or is that left to the shipper to verify. The seal was a good start, thanks!



Loni Banaszak

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Posted 25 June 2015 - 06:33 PM

We have adopted the whole "we can not control of the product  once the truck leaves the facility" however 99.9% of the time if product is damaged in transit, we end up replacing at no charge to the customer. I haven't heard of a Good Transport Practices type of standard. Possibly something you could ask them if you were send them a supplier approval survey.

 

In the past if we have had multiple trending issues with a supplier we take the opportunity to audit them. You are allowed to audit any supplier you use. Also to weed out "bad" supplier you can always require that the suppliers you use carry some sort of certification, most would carry ISO. I would trust a trucking company whom was ISO certified.

 

 

Sorry I couldn't of been more help.

 

PS Google tells me that individual company's write they own "Good Transport Practices"

 

 

Good Luck!


Thanks,

 

Loni


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qalearner

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Posted 25 June 2015 - 07:39 PM

Asking for ISO or other certification from the trucking companies used is a good start. When using 3rd party transport we kept a list of letters of guarantee from the transport companies and what certifications they had. This would often include HACCP certification if they were a food transporter. Checking the trailer upon arrival at your dock is also key to protect yourselves. I have a hard time believing that in the span of 200 miles that there would be enough time for ants to spontaneously appear on the product, or arrive in such a mass from outside the truck. Might also be worth investigating where that particular product was stored prior to loading on the truck.



DRL

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Posted 25 June 2015 - 08:05 PM

If you did a thorough inspection of the truck prior to loading and the truck was clean and free of contaminants and pests then you are covered.

 

And if the transport with product arrived at destination and was refused because of pest infestation then the responsibility lies with the transport company.

 

What time span has passed from loading to arrival at destination? I do not think you should accept free return of product. I would hold the transport responsible for the cost of replacing the product, the harm done to your name etc.

 

Just my viewpoint.



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Charles.C

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Posted 25 June 2015 - 09:38 PM

Hi tastemaker,

 

Sort of extension of previous post.

 

I am sure this has already been thought over but can you not get insurance for "Acts of Ants" and other such anomalies ?

 

For exported frozen cargo in containers, seem to remember the mover ex factory to the port themselves have insurance for internal blunders/accidents.


Kind Regards,

 

Charles.C




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