The Loading Dock's Role in Satisfying New FSMA Standards

The Loading Dock's Role in Satisfying New FSMA Standards

An important FSMA rule that goes into effect on April 1, 2017 is Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food. The rule covers anyone involved in the shipping, receiving, loading and carrying of food in the U.S. (and to be distributed in the U.S.) by motor or rail vehicle.

The key points of this rule include:

• Vehicles and transportation equipment must be designed for easy cleaning and maintenance to safely transport food.
• Transportation operations must provide adequate measures to ensure food safety, including proper temperature controls, protection from cross contamination, prevention of ready-to-eat food from touching raw food and prevention of food contamination from non-food items in the same — or previous — load.
• Training carrier personnel in sanitary transportation and documentation of training.
• Written maintenance records of all food safety procedures for up to 12 months.

Advances in loading dock area practices and equipment can help facility managers combat issues related to food safety hazards, and get those operations in compliance with FSMA.

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