Scientifically, reasonably and safely loading and unloading the goods to be transported into and out of the container is not only the work that the customs inspection personnel must do well, but also the work that the personnel of container operation enterprises, logistics companies and other relevant work must do. Container packing. Unloading seems simple, but if the loading and unloading is unreasonable and incorrect, it will cause damage to goods and equipment and even casualties. Therefore, while ensuring the scientificity and safety of the place under customs supervision of container goods, the customs also requires relevant personnel other than customs staff. For example, the staff, container managers and custodians of container operation enterprises should understand the basic environment of container supervision sites, loading and unloading of container goods and labor safety, so as to help import and export enterprises and international cargo transportation enterprises pass customs smoothly. In this article, we are going to show you how do logistics companies inspect container safety.
How do logistics companies monitor container safety?
1.When the goods are loaded into vehicles / containers and sent to the consolidator / carrier / freight forwarder, they must be supervised by the factory guard. The person in charge of security is responsible for checking the container before loading to verify whether it is safe and empty. In case of any abnormality, the management personnel must recheck before shipment. The specific inspection procedures are as follows:
To the container:
Guards or senior managers must supervise the loading process of finished products into vehicles.
The guard or senior management may not participate in the loading, and his / her sole responsibility is to supervise and guide the loading process.
Approved factory full container loading:
In addition to the supervision responsibilities mentioned above, the guard or senior management must also check whether the container is equipped with hidden intervals and whether the structure is stable before packing. The inspection shall be conducted according to the following criteria:
Inspection position:
Front plate
Left / right
Bottom plate / top plate / box top
Inner / outer door
Outside / under chassis
Concealed interval:
Check whether there is smell of new paint, burnt wood or filler.
Check whether there are traces of new paint, welding marks or differences in box plate texture.
Structure:
Check the front and rear corner columns for cracks.
Check whether the box plate is perforated, cut, worn or cracked; Are loose parts or fasteners Missing
Conduct internal light leakage test: check whether there is light penetration caused by door seal defect, hole, welding damage, floor damage or separation, fastener loosening or loss. This quality inspection is carried out from the inside with the box door fully closed.
Check the lock strip at the end of the door, including bracket, guide rod and cam, and check the defects that hinder the operation or locking of the box door, such as bending, bending, depression, etc.
In the substructure, check whether there are holes in the transverse members, outriggers and accessories.
In the substructure, check whether the bottom plate, box plate or strip is damaged, cracked or disconnected.
If any abnormality is found in the container, the management personnel must review it before releasing the goods.
If the container is not empty or the structure is unsafe, it must be required to use a new container, and the problematic container shall not be used to transport MMG goods.
Before leaving the warehouse of the container carrier / shipping company and returning to the factory, the factory personnel shall require the unloaded containers to be sealed. The manufacturer shall verify that the seal (number) is the same as the original seal (number).
Container Inspection Guidelines for carrier initiative plans:
Forged front plate: when checking the front plate of general dry cargo container, you can see the wrinkles between the corner plate and the sign and the front plate. It was found on the seized forged front plate that the smugglers also made corner plates, but the forged front plate was flush with the sign. The forged front plate may use the same type of corrugated metal as the regular front plate. Inspectors need to look for traces of transformation: new paint, welding marks on the inner and outer walls of the container, differences in the texture of the container plate or lack of wrinkles; Smell of fresh paint, burnt wood or filler.
Forged floor: the floor of unmodified containers is usually flush with the front door frame. If the bottom plate protrudes from the frame plane, or looks new and uneven, or tilts upward towards the front plate of the container, it is likely to be a forged bottom plate. Another way to detect forged base plate is to touch the top of the container after entering the container, and then go to the front plate. If the bottom plate is modified, it can obviously feel the change of height or the change of difficulty of touching the top plate by hand.
Forged roof: the forged roof may be internal or external. The external forged top plate or box top can be detected by observing the distance between the top of the corner plate and the box top. Generally, the top of the box is slightly lower or flush with the top of the corner plate. If the box top is higher than the corner plate, it is likely to be a forged box top. The forged top plate with internal structure can be detected by touching the top plate. If there is a forged top plate or bottom plate, the change of height or the difficulty of touching the top of the box shall be felt. Other marks to pay attention to include: newly painted, blurred corner plate, welding brand, etc.
Container frame: the container frame used to hide smuggled goods is the most difficult to detect. In the absence of other indications, the only way is to drill holes in the frame for detection.
2.Ensure that the finished products arrive at the carrier / container / freight forwarder on time from the factory. If there is any abnormality, the local law enforcement agency must be notified
The following methods can be selected to fulfill these requirements:
The factory can assign a factory representative to accompany the truck driver to transport the goods to the container.
The manufacturer can reasonably estimate the time spent on transportation, Then call the destination (container carrier or port) to monitor the transportation of goods and verify whether the vehicle has arrived. If the situation is different and the goods arrive late, you must inquire the driver about the reasons for the delay, such as bad weather, traffic jam, accident, mechanical failure, etc. all communication contents must be recorded in the monitoring log.
Example of “escort” procedure: no goods shall be transported out of the plant without the factory representative escorting the goods and traveling in the truck cab. The factory representative must be security personnel or management personnel. The manufacturer’s representative shall be equipped with communication equipment (such as mobile phone) and contact the manufacturer in case of problems.
Example of “remote transportation process monitoring”: the safety / management personnel must keep in touch with the next link of the supply chain, query whether the goods arrive in time, and monitor the process of transporting the goods to this link (Organization). The query and results must be recorded in the monitoring log.
3.During the loading and unloading of goods, ensure that the actual number of products is consistent with the attached shipping documents. The management must check all differences before releasing the defective goods
The supervisor must supervise all loading and unloading activities to ensure that the actual number of products is consistent with the number contained in the shipping documents.
If the product is about to be unloaded and the number is inconsistent with the shipping documents, the source of the product must be notified. These products shall not be warehoused until the management personnel review the difference and confirm that there is no doubt.
Procedure example: whenever loading and unloading goods, the number must be counted and the relevant documents must be checked. Management must review any discrepancies. If there is a shortage or excess, the reason must be investigated. The investigation and its results must be filed.
To ensure accuracy, at least two people shall be assigned to count the products.
The loading list can ensure the accuracy of product counting.
After loading and unloading, the supervisor shall sign the bill of lading and indicate the number of products next to his signature.
4.Check the seals on containers, trailers and railcars
For imported raw materials: the manufacturer must check whether the seal is intact and whether the seal number is consistent with the number indicated on the bill of lading. If the seal is damaged, it is a violation of safety measures or codes. The only exception is that the seal is damaged due to proper inspection by the relevant personnel (customs officer, police) and the customs officer / police indicates this inspection on the bill of lading.
For transported materials:
Non factory full container loading (goods are transported to the container carrier for container transportation): if your land carrier provides hard side hardtop or container truck, you must follow the correct sealing procedures.
Procedure example: when loading the whole container in the factory, the seal must be attached to the full container. The seal number must be recorded on the bill of lading. A spare seal shall be provided to the driver. If the original seal is damaged during transportation (by government officials), the organization that requires access to the container (police or customs) must be indicated on the bill of lading. Then, the driver should stick the spare seal on the container and record the new seal number on the bill of lading. This procedure also applies to container trucks or trucks. When selecting the seal, please keep the following points in mind: · the most easily damaged and tampered with is the indicative seal, which is only used to show that the container or truck door is in transit Whether it has been opened during transportation.
There is also a barrier seal of different grades and shapes, such as steel door bolts, steel cables or smooth metal strips. Thieves cannot tear off these seals with their bare hands, nor can they unscrew them with small crowbars, screwdrivers or similar tools. The barrier seal can clearly show whether the container door has been opened between the shipping point and the final destination. These seals require large tools to remove or cut. The most common tool that can remove these seals is the parallel bar shear. This tool is very easy to get. For professional thieves, it takes only a few seconds to cut off these barrier seals and enter the container or truck without making any noise and taking no trouble.
To provide substantial evidence of damage, the seal must be sealed on the door lock rod of the container and truck and integrated with the door lock, so that the container can not be opened without the seal intact. This sealing can be accomplished by using long wire rope seals or interlocking rods. There are many types of cable seals available on the market for this solution. All cable seals are classified as barrier seals because the cable cannot be easily broken or removed without tools. However, thieves can also easily obtain and hide these tools, so the wire rope seal used on the door lock rod can provide evidence of damage, but it can not act as a real deterrent to goods theft.
Interlocking solid steel bar can be firmly connected to the internal locking rod of container door or truck door. It is a unique seal recognized by the customs as high security. It is not only a seal, but also can substantially prevent the occurrence of illegal door opening. Interlocking solid steel bars can provide the most effective safety protection.
5. Truck drivers and their assistants are not allowed to participate in cargo loading. During full container loading, drivers and their assistants are not allowed to enter the loading area until the loading process is completed. However, truck drivers can conduct final inspection.
For non full container loading:
Truck drivers and their assistants can be present at the loading site, but they cannot actively participate in the loading process (e.g. moving shipping cartons)
The truck driver and his assistant can suggest the most effective loading method to the factory loading personnel.
They can count / check products
For full container loading:
Truck drivers and their assistants shall not stay in the loading area during loading.
Before the container is locked and sealed, the truck driver and his assistant can conduct a final visual inspection.
Notices shall be posted to remind truck drivers not to stay in the loading area
6.Formal written safety procedures must be established.
A written safety policy shall be developed. Make safety policy for the factory.
Safety policy guidelines consider safety policies from different perspectives. Factories must develop their own safety policies to meet their specific requirements. When drafting the safety policy, the factory must ensure that all points of the factory safety standards are reflected.
The safety policy shall not be limited to the provisions set forth in the plant safety standards. Written procedures are very helpful to ensure the effective and consistent implementation of safety policies. After developing written procedures, it is easier to train new employees and can be used as a useful reference tool in emergencies where there is no time to design schemes.
7. Loaded containers must be stored in a safe area if they are not transported away immediately. Unloaded containers must be stored in a safe manner.
Loaded containers must be stored in the plant surrounded by fences or fences. If this is not feasible, the loaded containers must be stored in other safe (fenced) places. If it is still not feasible, they can be stored in public buildings, but they must be guarded all the way.
Each time a loaded container is stored, the container must be locked and sealed.
Empty containers must be stored in a safe manner. For example, stored in a safe area of the plant; If this is not possible, it can be stored outside the plant, but it must be protected by a seal.
Loaded and unloaded containers shall be stored door-to-door or door to wall to prevent entry.
Both loaded and unloaded containers shall be sealed before storage.
8. If illegal activities or suspicious acts are found or suspected, local law enforcement agencies must be notified
If illegal activities are found or suspected, the manufacturer must notify the law enforcement agency.
If employees are found to be involved in illegal activities that may endanger the safety of goods, the factory must notify the law enforcement agency.
If an unauthorized person is found in the restricted area and the person fails to provide a reasonable explanation, the manufacturer must notify the law enforcement agency.
9. The manufacturer shall record all incidents involving law enforcement agencies.Ensure that all goods are properly labeled, marked, weighed, counted and recorded
10. Maintain data integrity and prevent unauthorized personnel from making illegal changes
A written procedure must be established to designate the person who has the authority to fill in and / or sign the shipping documents.
Procedure example: only the freight supervisor or management personnel have the right to slightly change the quantity of goods on the freight document (less than + / – 5%) and sign next to the change position. If major changes (more than + / – 5%) are required, the authorized handling personnel must make changes and print new documents and forms.