A new training program developed by the International Refrigerated Transportation Association (IRTA), a partner of the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), will help drivers of temperature-controlled trucks meet the compliance requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rule on Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food (STF).
Finalized in April 2016, the FSMA STF rule applies to shippers, receivers, loaders and carriers who transport food in the United States by motor or rail vehicle. Training of carrier personnel in sanitary transportation practices and documentation is a key requirement of the rule, which aims to help in the creation of a more robust framework for food safety.
The newly developed IRTA Driver Training program comes to fruition following the release of the IRTA Refrigerated Best Practices Guide, which provides an overview of best practices for food safety in the temperature-controlled transportation sector. Available as a complimentary GCCA-IRTA member benefit, IRTA Driver Training includes an online video and training log for carriers to meet regulatory requirements for driver training. The 25-minute online video addresses six content areas, including: FDA Sanitary Transportation of Food (STF) Rule; sanitary best practices, risk management, training best practices, temperature control, and record-keeping.
"Many carriers are searching for a quality resource to help them comply with the FSMA STF regulation," said Lowell Randel, vice president of government and legal affairs – Global Cold Chain Alliance. "IRTA has taken the lead in developing STF compliance resources including the IRTA Refrigerated Transportation Best Practices Guide released last year. The IRTA Driver Training program is a great complement to the Best Practices Guide and provides an ideal solution that allows carriers to train their entire fleet easily and affordably."
