Advantage Good Agricultural Practices Manual

7.3 Transport Vehicles

If transport vehicles are not properly designed, constructed, maintained or suitable for the materials being transported, a number of food safety hazards can result.

This Good Agricultural Practice applies to:

All farms.

What needs to be done

Observe all transport vehicles before loading or unloading to ensure they are clean and suitable for the products being transported.

How to do it

Make sure transport vehicles are in good repair and suitable for the food or livestock being transported.

• If refrigeration is required, the cooling system should be functioning properly and there should be no coolant leaks.
• If transporting livestock and poultry, the vehicles should be properly designed, provide proper ventilation, and have no sharp, protruding objects that may cause injuries.
  
  

Make sure transport vehicles are easy to clean and sanitize and constructed of non-absorbent, non-toxic, smooth, corrosion-resistant materials that can hold up to repeated cleaning.

Clean transport vehicles between loads and sanitize them where necessary. See 5.1 Cleaning and Sanitizing in this manual for information on developing cleaning practices.

If transporting livestock, add sufficient bedding to the transport vehicle to minimize contamination from manure.

Examine all transport vehicles prior to loading. Consider the following:

• Are the floors free of debris?
• Is there any damage to the walls or doors?
• Does the seal around the door appear to be damaged?
• Does the vehicle allow for effective separation of the product from potential cross-contamination occurring during transport?
  

Did you know?

The Canadian Trucking Alliance has developed the Trucking Food Safety Program that outlines food safety procedures for transport companies that haul food products. Details can be found at the Canadian Trucking Alliance website.

If you need an audit

Be prepared for the auditor to:

• Observe whether transport vehicles that are the property of the farm are well maintained, clean and in good repair
• Review records that prove products are loaded into a clean vehicle (e.g. provide trucking affidavit or truck examination documentation)
  
  

Laws and regulations that apply

Vehicles to transport livestock must be suitable. The Health of Animals Act (Canada), 1990, c. 21, s. 141 requires animals that are incompatible to be segregated during transport.

Various laws and regulations limit transportation of dead or sick animals. See Dead Animal Disposal Act R.R.O, 1990, Reg. 263, s.1 (1), s. 8 (1), (2), (3). A vehicle used to transport dead animals must have a marker issued under the regulation s. 1 (1). The vehicle used to transport dead animals cannot also be used to transport food for human consumption or a live animal (s. 8 (2) (3)). See also 6.4 Storage and Disposal of Farm Wastes in this manual.

Vehicles that will be used to transport poisonous (toxic) substances, pesticides, biohazards or infectious substances (Class 6) must meet the safety standards set out in the Dangerous Goods Transportation Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. D. 1, and Regulations, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 261 and the federal Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act (Canada), 1992.

Did you know?

Tomatoes prefer temperatures between 8°C and 10°C, while celery prefers a slightly chillier environment of 0°C.

Did you know?

It is important to consider the risk of contaminating food by transporting it in dirty vehicles. In 1994, many people across the United States got sick due to eating ice cream contaminated with Salmonella. Although the ice cream mix was pasteurized, investigation determined the cause of the contamination was transporting the pasteurized mix in a trailer that had immediately before transported unpasteurized liquid eggs. Transport vehicles are a huge concern for potential cross-contamination.

Proceed to 7.4 Loading and Unloading