Clearing the way for success: How TSA certification helps to expedite delivery and optimize your channel strategy

December 2017

The majority of employees at Cardinal Health 3PL are “TSA-certified.” Does this mean that they never take their shoes off at the airport?  No, but it does represent a business practice that Cardinal Health 3PL has adopted to expedite the delivery of necessary products or drugs to distributors and provider offices.

On Aug. 3, 2007, President George W. Bush signed the Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007 into law, requiring 100 percent of cargo transported on passenger aircraft to be screened at a level of security commensurate with the level of security of passenger checked baggage. The TSA defines cargo as any package greater than 1 pound traveling on a commercial airliner as cargo. The impact of this requirement is that all cargo must be screened at the piece level by TSA-approved methods prior to being loaded onto a passenger aircraft. 

Because of the protections put into place by this law, the possibility of delaying product shipped from Cardinal Health 3PL facilities is increased, especially for product on emergency orders being shipped outside of contracted carrier(FedEx/UPS/USPS) availability.

Well before the law went into effect, Cardinal Health 3PL Services looked at ways of mitigating any possible impact to our clients. To ensure that product gets handled by commercial airlines as quickly as possible, our facilities obtained Certified Cargo Screening Facility (CCSF) certification.

Cardinal Health 3PL Services employs the Alternative Method of Screening, a TSA-recognized screening method, to meet the requirements of this legislation. This method maintains the integrity of cGMP packaging, and prevents the need for inspection of sealed manufacturers’ cartons. Each warehouse has a Designated Screening Area (DSA), labeled with large yellow “Designated Screening Area” signs located on all exterior and dock doors. As part of the Certified Cargo Screening Program (CCSP), the TSA regularly inspects Cardinal Health 3PL processes, facilities, and paperwork to ensure we meet the requirements for this program.

Working with a TSA-certified provider like Cardinal Health 3PL Services decreases the possibility of shipping delays, maintains the integrity of cGMP packaging and helps products get on their way without delay to the patients that rely on them, ensuring that the channel runs smoothly and efficiently.

Want to brainstorm on how operations improvements can optimize your channel strategy? Contact your Client Relations Manager.