Hazard Evaluation
An important step in recall procedure is to evaluate the existing hazard to determine if a recall is warranted. The company or regulatory agency should answer the following:
- Has disease or injury already occurred?
- Could exposure to humans be a health hazard?
- Asses hazard according to population of greatest risk (children, hospital, retirement communities, etc)
- Degrees of seriousness if exposed?
- Likelihood of occurrence (exposure)?
- Consequence of hazard (immediate or long term)?
- Classification of recall I, II, III
Recall Strategy
All companies should have a detailed plan to follow should the hazard evaluation warrant a recall. Some critical elements to consider in planning recall strategies are:
- The depth of recall (warehouse, wholesale, retails, consumer levels).
- Whether or not to issue a public warning, to what signet of the public the warning would be directed, and through what media (general, newspaper, TV, radio or though special groups: doctors, etc.)
- Method of recall effectiveness checks to determine how many have received the recall notice.
