Transport Vehicle Thermal Regulation - How would you interpret this requirement?

I have a quick questions of fellow auditors on the interpretation of the following statement. "The transport vehicle is equiped with thermal regulatory capabilities for temperature (32 -34 degrees C or 93.2 - 89.6 degrees F and humidity of at least 40-45%)". My interpretation is that it must be "capable" to run at these parameters. To me this does not mean must be run at these temperatures. How do others feel?

Thanks and enjoy the New Year,

Re: How would you interpret this requirement?

mguilbert said:

I have a quick questions of fellow auditors on the interpretation of the following statement. "The transport vehicle is equiped with thermal regulatory capabilities for temperature (32 -34 degrees C or 93.2 - 89.6 degrees F and humidity of at least 40-45%)". My interpretation is that it must be "capable" to run at these parameters. To me this does not mean must be run at these temperatures. How do others feel?

Thanks and enjoy the New Year,

Click to expand...

Why list capabilities if it is not required?

Stijloor.

Re: How would you interpret this requirement?

I agree with Stijloor. The specification doesn't make sense unless the intent was that it would be applied.

The wording of course is clumsy, but that's not a sufficient reason to ignore the intent.

Re: How would you interpret this requirement?

This comes from a standard that they may not have been able to get agreement on. These temperatures are for transporting day old chicks. These "high" (in our Vets opinion) temperatures will increase panting, dehydration, weight loss, icrease noise level ,and generally make the chicks uncomfortable. By using the term "capabilities" they make some happy but not a real requirement. The statement preceding this one states "Noise levels from all sources are minimized during loading, inloading, and transport" with no real requirement (db level). BTW this is from an Voluntary Animal Welfare standard. Maybe I am just reading it literally and am missing the intent. But it could have easily read chicks must be transported at X temperature range.

I do agree this part of the standard is poorly written.

Thanks again for your input,

Re: How would you interpret this requirement?

what i understand is that,
a) its desirable/recommended (but not mandatory) to maintain the said T & RH.
b), since its a desirable conditions, you must have transport vehicle which ought to comply/be-capable of maintaining the said T&RH conditions;

Hence, from audit perspective, we ought to verify the ocmpliance of vehicles for their capability; and methods of monitoring...this is required to have a track/review for any investigations...
Now, the point is, at what T&RH does the product is adversely affected; how frequently does it go...waht are the chances...is there any back up mechanism to take care of it...etc., these details will determine the criticality of observatio.. (basically impact analysis & risk assessment!!!)

hope that helps.

mguilbert said:

............... "The transport vehicle is equiped with thermal regulatory capabilities for temperature (32 -34 degrees C or 93.2 - 89.6 degrees F and humidity of at least 40-45%)". .....................

Click to expand...

As a guide, these temperatures look right for our tropical environment (room temperature of about 32C on a normal day).

Asking our farmers, they transport some 16M day old chicks, we transport at some 24 C ambient temperature.
The chicks like humidity but this is not measured in our transport

mguilbert said:

I have a quick questions of fellow auditors on the interpretation of the following statement. "The transport vehicle is equiped with thermal regulatory capabilities for temperature (32 -34 degrees C or 93.2 - 89.6 degrees F and humidity of at least 40-45%)". My interpretation is that it must be "capable" to run at these parameters. To me this does not mean must be run at these temperatures. How do others feel?

Thanks and enjoy the New Year,

Click to expand...

My take is that the temperature and humidity levels must be within the specified parameters. Example: if the system is capable of running at these parameters, but you choose to run them at 15 °C and 15% humidity, the chicks will likely be harmed or die (in my own uninformed, non-farming opinion).

The wording is poor.