If goods turn up in the empty-container area or before washing, record the goods and container IDs together. The find alone does not show which delivery the goods belong to.
Identify what was found
Record the product or case ID, container number, location, date and time, and the role that found it. Place the goods under the defined hold arrangement.
Check duration against records. Match the container number to departure and return records. Those times give an interval for the container; they do not prove the goods stayed inside throughout.
Disposition follows authorized review
The field role collects the finding, identity and available records. An authorized quality process decides what to do with the goods against applicable requirements.
Match a possible shortage
Compare any case ID with dispatch and delivery documents. A shortage reported the same day is not proof of a match; the IDs must align too.
Preserve evidence before washing
Pause washing until the discovery record is complete; follow the site's cleaning arrangement for the next step.
Keep the goods out of normal flow
Use a separate area and tag under the site's hold procedure, and record the location.
Review repeated finds
If goods turn up in the same container again, compare cases by container, delivery point and shift. A pattern can guide investigation, but does not prove a cause by itself.
