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A delivery signature is not an installation approval. Before your crew starts opening bundles or moving materials around the site, establish what arrived, what is visibly damaged, and what still needs checking. Keep the receiving record with the purchase order so purchasing, warehouse staff, and installers work from the same information.
Prepare the Site Before the Truck Arrives
Confirm the delivery appointment, vehicle access, unloading responsibility, and any booked liftgate or handling service. Do not assume site delivery includes a crane, forklift, or installation labor. Have the packing list, shipping reference, approved order, and receiving contact available.
- Reserve a clear unloading area and protected storage space appropriate to the product.
- Confirm packed dimensions and weights against the handling equipment and access route.
- Use trained personnel and an agreed unloading plan; keep bystanders clear.
- Stop if a load has shifted, a pallet is unstable, or safe unloading cannot be arranged.
CCOHS loading guidance emphasizes checking load stability and stopping when conditions become unsafe. Photographs never justify entering an unsafe trailer or standing beneath a suspended load.
Match Labels and Counts
Compare the delivery document with the packing list and actual pallet, crate, bundle, or carton labels. Count in the same units: three pallets do not establish that every component inside them is present. Record outer handling units first, then reconcile item quantities during safe unpacking.
- Match the order reference, product code, carton number, and destination.
- Identify mixed-product pallets and separately packed hardware.
- Record expected and received quantities, including any labels you cannot read.
- Check whether the order is a planned split shipment before calling an item missing.
For custom work, compare parts with the approved drawing revision, not an earlier quotation image. The EONE custom order process explains where those approval records fit.
Record What You Can Actually Observe
From a safe position, photograph the shipment before disturbing its packaging. Capture overall condition, labels, and close views of crushed corners, punctures, wet areas, broken straps, or exposed damage. Link each photograph to a specific carton or bundle.
Enter factual exceptions on the carrier's delivery record before signing, following its actual procedure. For example, describe a crushed carton corner and identify the carton; do not guess that all contents are damaged. Record shortages in the units actually counted. Estes' receiving guidance supports recording exceptions and keeping a receipt copy.
Never sign a blank receipt or an unqualified condition statement you cannot verify. Do not certify the condition of concealed contents. If an electronic receipt cannot capture exceptions, ask the driver or dispatcher for the carrier's approved method and retain the resulting record. A generic inspection reservation is not a substitute for specific observations or required notification.
Unpack Carefully and Preserve Evidence
Once safely staged, unpack promptly enough to identify concealed damage before installation. Photograph packaging layers and any newly exposed damage. Check dimensions, finish, hardware, and quantities against the order without modifying the product. Keep labels associated with their contents.
Retain cartons, wrapping, protective inserts, pallets, and damaged items for any required inspection. Old Dominion expressly requires packaging retention for its damage claims. For your shipment, obtain the applicable carrier instructions before disposal. Secure materials against further damage without concealing the original condition.
Hold Questionable Items and Ask for Direction
Mark suspect items as not released for installation. Contact the carrier or booking party promptly about delivery exceptions or concealed damage, and send EONE the order reference, counts, photographs, and delivery record. Confirm the actual reporting requirements; deadlines vary by carrier, service, and shipment terms. Do not wait for an EONE review before making a required carrier notification.
Product-specific handling instructions and approved project requirements take precedence over this general checklist. Warranty decisions follow the written terms for your product; see EONE's warranty information.
Related Guides
- Damaged or Missing Parts: How to Get the Right Support
- Before Installation: Check the Drawings, Site and Complete Kit
References
- Estes: Freight Shipping FAQs. Receiving exceptions and supporting records; service-specific terms apply.
- Old Dominion: Cargo Claims FAQs. Packaging retention and OD-specific claim requirements.
- CCOHS: Forklift Trucks, Loading and Unloading. Work-area preparation and unsafe-load boundaries.