Transporting perishable goods can be a fruitful commercial opportunity, but it doesn’t come without its challenges for cold-chain operators. With the UK and Europe seeing more unpredictable weather conditions than ever before, cold chain management businesses have never had more reason to have the right people, training, equipment, and practices in place to safeguard goods. If products have breached specific delivery requirements, such as temperature thresholds, operators will come face to face with rejected loads – bearing the brunt of the cost and effort to dispose and remediate the problem.
Temperature-controlled transport is used to maintain the safety and quality of loaded goods, right from the beginning to end of the entire transportation process. With consumers safety and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) guidance highlighting when and how goods should be transported, cold chain management businesses are continually searching for ways to ensure that they aren’t caught out by bad transportation practices. From choosing the most suitable equipment for specific goods, to using appropriate monitoring techniques, operators can ensure loaded food products are kept safe and their quality is maintained during long journeys – particularly during unpredictable situations like extreme weather.
By understanding the common causes of a rejected load, fleet managers are better able to ensure safe transportation of temperature-controlled goods. One of the most common issues involves poor loading practices – such as loading goods at the wrong temperature or when vehicles haven’t been pre-cooled appropriately prior to loading. This becomes even more problematic during periods of extreme heat, when exposure to warmer climes during the loading period can have significant impacts and push temperatures out of the ‘safe zone’. Equipment malfunction or incorrect equipment settings are also a familiar cause – for example, when temperature-controlled equipment, such as a refrigeration unit, fails to operate or hasn’t been set up correctly, rejected loads are more likely.
Substandard technology can also give drivers a big headache, particularly when temperature checks are needed as part of proof of delivery requests. If no temperature monitoring solution is in place to provide evidence, it provides no assurances that goods have been transported properly, and no rebuttal to rejected load claims. Most crucially, however, is the absence of an early warnings system. If no technology at all is in place to identify issues that may occur during transportation, any cold-chain transport problem can be easily overlooked.
Failing to put the appropriate measures, technology and procedures in place could be a costly mistake for cold chain operators. Rejected loads caused by inadequately delivered goods can lead to significant financial losses. Such costs may also include footing the bill for returning the load or disposing of it safely and occasionally, regulatory penalties can also occur.
The damages can run more widely than just financial losses too, reputational damage caused by rejected loads can also make it difficult for companies to reap the rewards of this service into the long term.
There are several options that transport managers can proactively use to ensure safe transportation and delivery of temperature-controlled goods. Using appropriate packaging that’s specifically designed for temperature-sensitive products, such as insulated boxes or coolers, can maintain the desired temperature during the journey. It’s also essential to carry out regular maintenance to onboard equipment and the vehicle itself, to ensure transport quality and to reduce the likelihood of potential breakdowns on route to the destination. Providing operators with regular training to maintain best practices ensures the safety and appropriate handling of temperature-controlled goods is always in line with industry guidelines.
Temperature monitoring technology enables operators to track the temperature of goods and status of delivery in real-time. It also provides live data of temperatures – for example, whilst setting the fridge’s temperature at the beginning of the journey, a live tracker allows operators to set customised thresholds. Data management can be held remotely at a central HQ, to ensure the driver can focus solely on safe transportation and road movement. Operators also have the option to set-up SMS alerts, ensuring that compliance teams are notified of any inadequate temperatures, allowing them to inform drivers instantly. Should an unpredictable issue arise, the driver can act to try and rectify the issue immediately to avoid a perished load.
Tracking the temperature of deliveries also provides a full audit of products’ temperatures throughout an entire journey. This audit provides customers with proof of compliance to meet their strict regulatory requirements. Evidence of regulatory compliance is provided by a data logging Transcan – which sits within the vehicle. Full temperature logging of the journey provides customers with full visibility and transparency of the safety of specific loads, increasing customer satisfaction and minimising further risks. Adopting remote monitoring systems also requires less personnel on site, as physically checking temperatures is no longer needed.
The prevention of rejected and perishable loads is attainable when the correct measures and technology are put in place. With regular equipment maintenance, training of best practices and technology innovation within temperature-controlled transportation, fleet and transport businesses can optimise cold chain management, ensuring safe, end-to-end delivery of high-quality food products, as well as putting all the tools in place to proactively manage unpredictable situations.
Author: Paul Lawrence, Managing Director of AddSecure UK, North America and Australia
