Five Ways To Prevent Freight Damage And Loss Claims

There are always a lot factors shippers and sellers need to consider and these include figuring out what the customer will want a day or a month from now; the tumultuous freight costs; weather disruptions and the delays & possible freight damage they cause at times.

These issues relay the grief of freight loss among shippers and sellers. However, proper packing and packaging can help avoid freight damage provided natural disasters are not the cause. Lou Cortese of Inbound Logistics explains that to help your organization succeed, you need to comprehend why correct packing and packaging keeps freight loss at bay. Let’s find out.

Proper Packaging Protects Contents From Damaging Other Items

Some shipments are a possible risk to their surrounding content on pallets and trucks. One example is liquids that could spill at any time. Heavy items as well could fall onto other packages and dangerous materials could spread to other shipments. Such problems mean that every package needs to be properly sealed to prevent spillage of products in an event of damage within the package. For instance, a broken bottle of ethanol could become a fire hazard and damage to other items on the same pallet. In such a case, poly bags or waterproof envelops should be used to prevent additional damage. Unfortunately, this still does not stop damage within an individual package and that’s when to consider the next point.

Impact Protection Reduces Risk For Fragile Contents

Every package needs to include some form of impact protection, but this is appropriate for packages that are made of glass or other fragile materials as impact protection can mean the difference between a hassle-free shipment and a lengthy claims process. Making use of envelopes lined with bubble wrap can provide extra cushioning for these items. The outside package may also be soft, so it would be a good idea to provide an extra layer of packaging. In other words, a hard, outer package with the smaller, impact-resistant package inside may be appropriate. After each item has been packed, you need to think about how it will be stacked on pallets.

Stacking Packages Should Distribute Weight Evenly On Pallets

Pallets barely prevent damage if the weight of the content is not evenly distributed. Packages should be stacked as closely together as possible, and empty pockets from mismatched package shapes should be avoided. The basic idea is to have similar dimensions of layering regarding packages. Furthermore, a sheet of cardboard or other supportive material should be used in three-layer increments in packing a pallet. This will assist in distributing weight appropriately and evenly. It goes without saying that issues such as placing heavy or overweight items on top of fragile packages should be disbarred to avoid freight damage.

Labels Reduce Chance For Error In Stacking and Wrapping

Labels are often an aspect that many don’t pay attention to when it comes to preventing freight damage. They assist shippers make pallet-packing decisions during the shipping process. It is impossible lately to determine a product’s fragility or durability from the seller’s brand or name as the world has grown more interconnected. A label should then clearly describe the content’s ability to withstand any added weight. This may include the amount of weight the box or package can endure before being crushed and an indicator of fragile contents. Secondly, labels should also be easy to identify and multiple labels should not be used unless requested by the carrier. Mislabelled packages should have the incorrect label removed or marked out clearly, and the correct label should not have any stains or other damage.

Packaging Should Be Secured and Free Of Holes or Other Damage

If a box is damaged before shipment it may be because of two reasons – Either the box itself was damaged or is reused; or it may contain damaged contents. This is a major risk for carriers. The recipient of the package could assume that the carrier damaged the package and not the original shipper. Therefore, all incoming package should be free from damage, including holes, sign of water exposure or other possible damage to protect against liabilities. Lastly, packaging should be secured on the pallet and within the cargo area. This includes a durable plastic wrap like shrink wrap, to keep all packages on the pallet secure. Securing a pallet to the walls of the shipping container or cargo can also be introduced to enforce protection.

 

Also, find out the Five Ways To Prevent Brand Damage After A Product Recall.

 

Source: cerasis