4-3.3 Loss and Damage Reporting

When damage or loss is detected, receiving personnel must accept the shipment from the carrier and note the problem on the carrier’s bill of lading. Receiving personnel should also take pictures of the problem; must notify Topeka Customer Service; and provide relevant data, documents, and details in accordance with the instructions found in Handbook AS-701, Material Management. The receiving department holds the suspect goods pending further instruction.

Topeka Customer Service determines the Postal Service party responsible to resolve the problem and forwards all relevant data, documents, and details to that party, according to the following:

• For goods received via U.S. mail, the CO or internal shipping activity is notified.
• For goods received from a supplier that shipped f.o.b. destination, the CO is notified.
• For goods received from a supplier that delivered the goods via its own equipment, the CO is notified.
• For goods received as postal freight, SM Operations is notified.
• For goods received that were shipped via TMSP, SM Operations is notified.

Topeka Customer Service will provide a monthly summary report of damage and loss activity to SM Operations for process improvement analysis and action.