Temperature Sensitive Shipping Labels

Refrigerated goods may call for Keep Refrigerated, Refrigerate Upon Arrival or Refrigerate, Do Not Freeze. Frozen goods may require Keep Frozen or Freeze Upon Arrival. Other products use Protect from Heat, Protect from Freezing, Perishable or Do Not Freeze or Refrigerate. These instructions are not interchangeable, and contradictory labels can create receiving errors.

Sizes range from compact 1.5 by 4-inch messages through larger 4 by 6-inch formats on specific products. Select a size that remains readable on the finished package without covering regulatory marks, addresses, barcodes or closure seams. Apply to a clean, dry surface and place additional labels only when the handling procedure requires visibility from more than one side.

A shipping label does not cool, heat, insulate or monitor the contents. It cannot record an excursion or prove that the package stayed within range. Use a qualified packout and separate temperature indicator or data logger when the process requires physical evidence. The label also does not guarantee how a carrier or receiver will handle the shipment.

Coordinate the wording with carrier instructions, internal release documents and the receiving site's procedure. Medication or Rush messages should be used only when accurate and appropriate for the shipment. Review labels during packout to prevent obsolete or duplicate instructions, and update the approved label whenever the product's handling procedure changes.