Parcel and Small Package Receiving
Receipt of inbound parcel carrier deliveries from UPS, FedEx, USPS, and regional couriers, covering driver check-in at the parcel door, count against the delivery manifest, tracking number scanning into the receiving system, safe carton handling and staging, and the exception path for damaged, missing, and misdirected parcels.
- Audience
- Receiving associates, mailroom and parcel clerks, and dock personnel who accept small package deliveries
- Review cycle
- semiannual
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- Revision
- 1
What is in the procedure
7 sections. Regulatory language is fixed and passes through verbatim. Sections marked customized get rewritten around your facility, your equipment, and your job titles.
- 01
Purpose
FixedThis procedure establishes how inbound parcel and small package deliveries are accepted, counted, scanned, and staged.
- 02
Scope
CustomizedThis procedure applies to all inbound deliveries arriving by parcel carrier or courier, including UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL, regional couriers, and same day services, whether the shipment is a single envelope or a pallet of...
- 03
Responsibilities
CustomizedThe receiving associate on the parcel door meets the driver, performs the count, inspects for damage, signs the delivery record, and scans the receipt into the system.
- 04
Procedure: Accepting and Scanning a Parcel Delivery
Fixed1. Meet the driver at the designated parcel door.
- 05
Safe Handling and Staging
CustomizedParcels are deceptively hazardous because their weight is unknown until they are lifted.
- 06
Exception Handling
CustomizedDamaged carton: note the damage on the delivery record before signing, photograph it, set it aside in the damage hold area, and do not open or put away the contents until it is inspected and dispositioned.
- 07
References
Fixed29 CFR 1910.176 Handling materials, general.
OSHA references
Parcel and Small Package Receiving: 29 CFR 1910.176(a)
Every SOP generated from this template cites the paragraphs below, with a plain-language summary of what each one requires. Citations are informational and are not legal advice.
| Standard | Title | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| 29 CFR 1910.176(a) | Handling materials, general: use of mechanical equipment | Where mechanical handling equipment is used, sufficient safe clearances must be allowed for aisles, at loading docks, and through doorways, and aisles and passageways must be kept clear, in good repair, and free of obstructions that create a hazard. Parcel volume builds fast at the receiving door, so the staging area must not be allowed to spread into aisles, doorways, or the path of powered equipment. |
| 29 CFR 1910.176(b) | Handling materials, general: secure storage | Storage of material must not create a hazard. Bags, containers, bundles, and other material stored in tiers must be stacked, blocked, interlocked, and limited in height so that the storage is stable and secure against sliding or collapse. Staged parcel stacks and loaded carts are covered by this requirement. |
| 29 CFR 1910.22(a) | Walking-working surfaces: general requirements | Walking-working surfaces must be kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition and free of hazards such as sharp or protruding objects, spills, and debris that create slip, trip, or fall hazards. At the parcel door this means keeping cut banding, packaging waste, loose labels, and water tracked in by the carrier off the floor. |
| 29 CFR 1910.132(a) | Personal protective equipment: general requirements | Protective equipment must be provided, used, and maintained wherever hazards capable of causing injury are present through processes or environment. For parcel receiving this is driven mainly by the box cutter, by unknown carton contents, and by the foot hazard of dropped packages. |
Compliance checklist
What an inspector looks for
Aisles, doorways, and the dock area stay clear of staged parcels and packaging waste
29 CFR 1910.176(a)
Staged parcel stacks and loaded carts are stable, limited in height, and secure against toppling
29 CFR 1910.176(b)
The receiving floor is kept free of cut banding, packaging debris, and tracked in water
29 CFR 1910.22(a)
Cut-resistant gloves, eye protection, and safety-toe footwear are provided and used for carton opening and handling
29 CFR 1910.132(a)
Pieces are counted against the manifest before the delivery record is signed
Damage and shortages are noted on the delivery record and photographed before the driver leaves
Every tracking number is scanned into the receiving system and matched to a purchase order or requestor
Safety cutters with retracting or recessed blades are used instead of fixed blade knives
High value, controlled, and temperature sensitive parcels are moved to secure or conditioned storage the same shift
Waitlist
Generate this SOP for your facility
At launch you answer the facility questionnaire once and this template comes back with your equipment, your titles, and your sign-off sheet attached.
This page is informational and is not legal advice. Have a qualified safety professional review any procedure before it goes into service at your facility.