What should be done at the start of a shift if there is no wash tag on a milk tanker?

When starting a shift and discovering that a milk tanker is missing a wash tag, the immediate action should be to notify management. The wash tag is critical as it indicates that the tanker has been properly cleaned and sanitized after its last load; this is essential for ensuring food safety and quality.

Notification to management allows for the appropriate actions to be taken, which may include investigating how the tag was lost, ensuring compliance with safety regulations, and making certain that any milk transported in that tanker meets health standards. This ensures that consumers receive safe products and protects the facility from potential contamination issues that could arise from using a tanker without proper documentation of cleaning.

Taking no action, waiting for instructions, or incorrectly assuming that a new tag can be created could lead to serious health risks and regulatory violations. Thus, promptly communicating the issue to management is the necessary and responsible choice.