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Is it required to have a map of all drains?

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Gazzatheman

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Posted 18 June 2014 - 10:13 AM

Hi all

I am a quality manager for a plastic sheeting company(start up) and we are currently trying to set up systems for BRC creditation (big climb). Our consultant says we need a map of all our drains even though we are a packaging firm and really all that will be using drains will be sewerage and surface water.Is this best practice to have this. I can understand why it would be required in the food trade but cant see why for the packaging.

 

Kind regards

gazzatheman



cazyncymru

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Posted 18 June 2014 - 11:39 AM

The BRC / IOP doesn't actually say you need a plan, but it wouldn't hurt to have one

 

Caz x



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debaduttajayaprakash

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Posted 18 June 2014 - 12:12 PM

You don't need one . Ask your consultant to justify why does he think u need one. i m sure you paying your consultant . He should think it in your prospective and suggest what is needed to achieve BRC. 



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Biotrax

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Posted 18 June 2014 - 08:21 PM

Hi Everyone,

 

     A Drain map is not necessary for a BRC Audit, however there are may benefits to a map.   If you are introducing Drain Cleaning, it is much easier to know where your drains are, and using the corresponding labels, can track the cleaning of the drains.   it also helps in monitoring the testing of the drains for Listeria as well as Total Viable Count.  This will tell you and verify the effectiveness of the cleaning schedule that you have implemented 

 

     Although there is a member that declares that you do not need one,  I believe it is important, as the next version of the BRC will be implementing "Suppliers" like yourself.  Through many audits, the consistent verification of suppliers is an ever-growing concern.  You can have a perfect product out of food processing, but it can be packaged in contaminated packaging. 

 

     By having drain mapping, a comprehensive laboratory testing plan, and a comprehensive cleaning schedule, you can reduce the risks of cross contamination on your product for your customer.



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gaardendan

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Posted 18 June 2014 - 09:20 PM

A drain map is not necessary but it's nice to have. Keep in mind that the drain map does need to be in CAD it can be a simple map showing where the drains are. My plant experiences about 25 2nd party and 3rd party audits each year and in 5 years of audits no auditor has ever asked to see it. I should add, that the drain map has come in handy a few times for internal sanitation audts etc. 



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fgjuadi

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Posted 19 June 2014 - 01:21 AM

I don't understand the problem here.

 

A paid consultant has spent their time with  you. seen a risk you hadn't, and advised you to create a simple document. 

 

This is how I imagine the conversation and ensuing actions went :

 

Consultant: "Golly, those drains from the sewer are directly beneath right where y'all put all of your food contact product that's ready to ship.  Maybe you should have a map of the drains so that if the sewer backs up you'll know which warehouse locations to check for damage"

 

Or  "Gee, it looks like you haven't cleaned those drains in a while. You should add them to your cleaning schedule and make a map so you know which one to clean"

 

or "Wowza!  You have some drains you never clean because they are dry.  You might want to designate those on a map so an auditor doesn't expect you to clean them"

 

You - <Grabs emergency exit map off wall> <copies it> <draws three dots on it> <crosses out "Emergency Exit Map"> <Writes in "Drain Map">

 

 

How did that series of events not happen?  Why are you paying this consultant if you don't trust their expertise?  I can see questioning the need of a significant process change or unnecessarily elaborate program,  but drain map?  Just make one, dude.  You could have done it in the time it took you to post & read the responses.  Work with your consultant - they are there to help you.

 

As mentioned, ti's good for sanitation purposes (cleaning schedules etc) & environmental monitoring identification - and if you ever discharge large volumes of water, the city water guys might want to come check them out. 


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Slab

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Posted 19 June 2014 - 03:15 AM

Maps are a simple and convenient way of communicating hazards control.  Your auditor is practicing what I like to call "forward thinking".  Is it required? No.  Is it recommended? Yes.  Regulatory GMPs are notorious for being antiquated, and hence we have GFSI standards as the darling little superstar to give that warm and fuzzy feeling to customers. In other words it's best to stay ahead of the curve.

 

Mapping is becoming more and more common in the food industry with pest control, glass/brittle plastics, hygienic zones, color coding, etc. (now consider pre-farm gate industry: water, soil, irrigation maps).  

 

Think of all the possible benefit to mapping your drains (and subsequent monitoring); hygienic zone cross-connection, sewage backflow procedure, maintenance/sanitation schedule, etc.

 

 


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Gazzatheman

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Posted 19 June 2014 - 07:51 AM

Thanks guys for your comments, most of them were very helpful with the exception of one, I will address this with a map and forward think in the future



fouldsqam

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Posted 19 June 2014 - 05:30 PM

You should have a drain cleaning as part of your sanitation and Pathogen monitoring programs including a map of drains and lines, SSOP for cleaning them and frequency of micro testing.  It is can help pinpoint food safety issues such as pest entry, foul odors, sewage backups, especially when the drain are under the processing equipment.



chris j

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Posted 20 June 2014 - 12:53 PM

The drain map not only helps your employees to remember all of the drains it is also great for new employees. I love having it so that I can reference it for an auditor instead of trying to remember where a certain drain is.



cazyncymru

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Posted 20 June 2014 - 12:58 PM

I Like having one so that I can stick any "rubbish" down the one closest to the main drain!!

 

 

Only Joking!!!!!

 

Caz x





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