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What to ask before choosing a partner for temperature-sensitive goods: the conditions, the handovers and what happens when a temperature changes.
Key takeaways
- Ask the product owner for written storage and transport conditions.
- Goods may leave a controlled space while being loaded, unloaded or inspected.
- A temperature excursion means the goods went outside their permitted range.
Begin with the product, not the vehicle
Ask the product owner for written storage and transport conditions. The required temperature range, packaging and monitoring depend on the goods. Ambient storage means storage without the product-specific temperature control a cold chain may require; it is not a substitute.
Look closely at the handovers
Goods may leave a controlled space while being loaded, unloaded or inspected. Ask a specialist operator how these moments are managed, how temperatures are recorded and what happens during a power interruption. Equipment records and calibration checks help show whether the readings can be relied on.
Know what happens when conditions change
A temperature excursion means the goods went outside their permitted range. Decide who is told, where the affected goods are held and who has authority to release them. Keep that decision with the product and monitoring records so the next team knows what happened.
Further reading
WHO guidance on storing and transporting temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products
Questions about this topic
Is ambient warehousing suitable for temperature-sensitive goods?
Only if the product owner’s requirements allow it. Delv’s published warehousing scope is ambient storage; a controlled-temperature requirement needs a qualified specialist.
What should I ask a cold-chain operator to show me?
Ask for the procedures and evidence relevant to your goods, including monitoring, equipment checks, handovers and the handling of temperature excursions.