Answer: No. Do not let them break the seal until a customer supervisor can be there as witness to sign the bills that the seal was intact upon arrival.

Some van and refrigerated shippers will ship under what is referred to as “Shipper Load and Count, Sealed” or “SLC” arrangement. Ensure you know the limits of your shipper’s responsibilities under their SLC arrangement. For example, some shippers will not seal the trailer until the driver has had a chance to secure the cargo. In such cases, the carrier may not be responsible for shortages but will be responsible for damage due to shifting.

Remind your drivers not to break a seal on a SLC shipment without direct permission from your company, the shipper, the receiver, or a direct order from law enforcement. The purpose of the shipper’s seal is to assure the shipper and receiver that no one was in the trailer between their facilities. Removing a shipper’s seal may expose your company to a claim unnecessarily.