Cold chain compliance is not just about procedures and quality manuals. It is gained (or lost) every time a door is opened, on the loading bay, at every delivery stop. Between the standard and the reality on the ground, it is the actions of the teams that make the difference.
Petit Forestier supports its customers in two ways: by training them in the right reflexes, equipping drivers and operators, and monitoring practices over time.
Why focus on reflexes (as much as on standards)?
Standards provide a framework for refrigerated transport: they define target temperatures, approved equipment, traceability requirements and the checks to be carried out. They set an essential course,but are not enough on their own to guarantee what actually happens on the loading bay or on the road.
In the field, risks of cold chain breaks often arise from very specific situations: loading that takes too long or is poorly prepared, doors that are left open out of habit, improper use of refrigeration units, incomplete traceability at the time of an inspection or dispute. This is precisely why it is essential to work on the reflexes of teams as much as on documentary compliance. It is these reflexes that ensure the pre-cooling of the vehicle, the correct use of the unit, compliance with the air flow in the body and the reading of temperatures during the route.
Beyond providing refrigerated vehicles adapted to each business, Petit Forestier's support is based on prevention and training for drivers and dock teams, as well as monitoring tools such as telematics, recorders and reporting. The aim is to make best practices visible, measurable and manageable over time.
The 7 habits to instil in order to maintain the cold chain
1. Always pre-cool
Before loading, the box must be brought up to temperature. The refrigeration unit must be started well in advance so that the return air temperature is stabilised when the doors are opened. A good practice is to pre-cool to the target temperature of the goods for fresh produce, and to -10°C for frozen goods: this ensures the load is secure without over-consuming energy. A quick check of the display before the first box arrives ensures that the products are not entering a compartment that is still warm.
2. Load quickly… with the engine off
During loading, time and humidity are the main enemies of the cold chain. Teams must be organised to minimise the time the doors are open: goods ready, pallets or rolls sorted, clear instructions. Goods must be stored and loaded at transport temperature to avoid thermal shock. When doors remain open for long periods, it is best to switch off the unit to prevent warm, humid air from being drawn in, which causes frost and excessive energy consumption. Whenever possible, loading should be carried out from a refrigerated dock or airlock to limit thermal shock.
3. Organise air flow
Good loading means respecting the vehicle's air flow. The rule "last delivered = first loaded" should guide the organisation of the body: the first deliveries closest to the doors, the last ones at the back, to avoid having to move everything at each stop. Teams must ensure that there is space between the goods, the walls and the ceiling, and never press pallets or rolls against the evaporator. Ideally, to facilitate air circulation, goods should be palletised. The intake and exhaust grilles must remain unobstructed so that air can circulate freely.
4. Checking when picking up the vehicle
When picking up the vehicle, the driver begins by checking the temperature setting and ensuring that it corresponds to the products being transported. They then check the recorder: device running, date and time set correctly, probes positioned correctly. A glance at the ATP plate allows them to confirm the validity of the certification. Finally, they inspect the general condition of the body: cleanliness, absence of major impacts, door seals in good condition, no gaps when closed.
In the case of a long load, the driver must manually defrost the unit to limit the presence of ice on the evaporator.
5. Managing each stop
Drivers must learn to prepare for their stops before opening the doors: documents ready, unloading location identified, customer contact notified if necessary. The route order must be optimised to limit the number of openings and avoid unnecessary trips back and forth. Once on site, the doors should only be opened when picking up the goods and closed as soon as unloading is complete, even if the exchange with the customer continues afterwards.
6. Monitor & track
Drivers should get into the habit of checking the display at key moments: at the start of the route, during the route and on return. Temperature curves, obtained from a recorder or telematics solution, should be retrieved and archived according to a clear procedure, with correctly configured threshold alerts. Data from tools such as Smart Connect can then be used to monitor temperatures, door opening times and the instructions actually applied. In the event of long or successive openings, it is recommended to initiate manual defrosting of the refrigeration unit, particularly during summer or heat waves.
7. Responding to deviations
When a temperature deviation is detected, the response is as important as prevention. The driver isolates the batch concerned, records the time, temperature and context, then notifies the quality manager or designated person, who decides on the next steps according to internal procedures. Be careful not to confuse the temperature displayed by the refrigeration unit – which corresponds to the temperature of the circulating air – with the core temperature of the product. This confusion is common and can distort the analysis. Each deviation must then be analysed in order to adjust, if necessary, the organisation, instructions or training.
Take the right steps with Petit Forestier
The cold chain is all about the details: a well-pre-cooled box, organised loading, controlled stops, a clear response in the event of a deviation. By sharing these 7 reflexes with your field teams, you reduce the risk of breakdowns, disputes and hidden costs associated with the misuse of refrigerated vehicles.
Petit Forestier can help you turn guidelines into action: diagnosis of your practices, tailor-made prevention and training plan, and tools for monitoring temperatures and usage. Additional equipment can also enhance operational efficiency: strip curtains or air curtains to limit cold loss when opening, or the RUN/LOCK option for safe delivery with the engine running, particularly recommended for door-to-door deliveries of frozen products.