18. Intake, storage and distribution
Loading checks and how to load the vehicle
Loading checks, conditions and security.
Loading checks
This article explains the requirements for loading materials onto vehicles prior to dispatch, including load security.
The standards
This article is written to meet the requirements for loading checks in the following standards:
| BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9 | 4.16.1, 4.16.2 Loading |
| BRCGS Packaging Issue 6 | 5.10.5 Loading |
| BRCGS Agents & Brokers Issue 3 | Not applicable. |
| BRCGS Storage & Distribution Issue 4 | 4.3.8 Loading conditions 5.1.1, 5.1.4 Load carrying area 5.2.5, 5.2.6 XS Load security 5.4.4 X Loading/unloading temperature control 7.2.2, 7.2.4 XD Loading conditions |
| FSSC22000 Version 5.1 | No specific clauses. |
| IFS Food Version 7 | 4.15.1 Loading |
| SQF Edition 9 | 11.6.5 Loading |
The requirements
Loading checks
Before the vehicle is loaded, checks must be carried out to make sure that the holding area is fit for loading. This means you need a procedure which ensures that:
- The holding area is free from contamination and odour.
- The fabrication of the holding area is in a good state of repair.
- The holding area is the required temperature.
- That the vehicle meets any legal requirements.
The checks must be recorded and where the vehicle doesn’t comply, it must be rejected.
Loading conditions
Once the vehicle has been checked, you then need to make sure that it’s loaded in a controlled manner.
Where the product is susceptible to weather damage, vehicles must be loaded under covered bays.
If you want to be able to load vehicles outside, you need to carry out a risk assessment which defines what controls are needed to make it possible. The controls may be things like protecting the pallets with additional outer packaging.
Loading
When materials are loaded, make sure that they don’t directly touch the holding area floor.
And when loading temperature-controlled product, it must be completed so that the temperature of the material isn’t affected. This may mean you need to specify the maximum timescale for loading.
Securing the load
Once the vehicle is loaded, the load needs to be secured to prevent movement during transit – as this may result in damage.
Load security
The vehicle must be made secure once it’s ready to depart. Where locks or seals are not fitted to vehicles, alternative security measures must be put in place.
BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9
There are no changes to the clauses discussed in this article.
More information is available for BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9.
Want to implement loading checks into your QMS?
This article is a topic within the subject of intake, storage and distribution. If you’d like compliant documentation for your management system on this subject, we recommend you purchase our pack.
Intake, storage and distribution
Pack 18: Intake, Storage & Distribution eDocs
This documentation pack provides you with everything you need to implement the goods-in, storage, stock control, positive release, vehicle management and dispatch section of your management system. The pack complies with all food-related BRCGS Standards, including Storage & Distribution. The pack includes a procedure which covers the controls required for intake of materials, handling of materials (putaway, picking and palletisation), storage, loading, vehicle standards, carriers, returns, transit and cross-docking.
Where needed, the controls have been determined by risk assessment, which you can review, adapt where needed and implement.
a good idea into the system of bulk loading is given at: https://www.eftco.org/downloads. Please think of food fraud / food defense issues with regards to seals
have a good 2022
Would be nice if some references to bulk shipments were included.
Agreed Melinda, we’ll ensure to do that. 🙂