Food Contact Packaging- Press & Converting Dept. QA Coverage

Afternoon All,

                        A producer of food contact packaging materials / flexible packaging/ labels / roll stock. We have color presses ( press dept.. ), laminating department, slitter department and press plate dept.and a converting department. We have QA in the converting dept. ( film into pouches, bags, etc. ) only or should I say,has been that way since I came on board. There is no QA in the other depts. except converting. My question should QA be present in the other depts.? if so, what would need to be done from a QA stand point.?

Thanks,

JJ :helpplease:

Big questions, that are difficult to answer.  Difficult because it really depends on your processes.  You can go into 5 different companies making the same type of product and often they are very different because of their processes.  In some cases QA checks can be done by production, in other cases, they really need to be done by specialized personnel. 

^SNOOKIE,

 ^{That's they hard part; distinguish between production doing the final inspection or having QA do the inspection; plus it doesn't help much when we use temporally personnel ( not a  trained experience eye) .  There basically is no final signoff saying everything is in spec or looks good in some departments. I was just hoping someone out there been through what I'm going through right now and had a solution.}

^Thanks,

^JJ

Hi Noah,

Many of us have.  Personally have been in many plants setting up SQF or other food safety system.  What was done in each plant had a lot to do with how they do things, not only production wise, but how their paper flow and software capabilities were.  Most likely you will need to decide what is important from a quality standpoint, and what is necessary for food safety standpoint and then create a workable system to document all of it.  This sounds easy but personally know hard it is to do especially when production just wants to get the product out the door. 

Hang in there. 

Afternoon All,

                        A producer of food contact packaging materials / flexible packaging/ labels / roll stock. We have color presses ( press dept.. ), laminating department, slitter department and press plate dept.and a converting department. We have QA in the converting dept. ( film into pouches, bags, etc. ) only or should I say,has been that way since I came on board. There is no QA in the other depts. except converting. My question should QA be present in the other depts.? if so, what would need to be done from a QA stand point.?

 

Thanks,

JJ :helpplease:

Hello JJ, in my experience of packaging operations that supply food, healthcare and pharmaceutical customers I would say that you need comprehensive quality control at each step of the process including artwork / repro, ink management, plate mounting, print set up approval to run and in running as well as at conversion. 

All of the quality checks need to be recorded as they are completed.  How to do the checks needs documenting in SOP's and all operators trained/signed off as competent.  That's the foundation.  After that we need to know if the SOP's / training are effective and being followed diligently.

I use the audit team who do two things:

1. Check finished job bags looking at all of the records, checks, retained samples etc. to make sure all intact.  Green sticker if good red sticker if bad.  Whether good or bad details are recorded on a spreadsheet with date, order number, operator name and findings.  NC's are reviewed with operators.

2. Shop floor audit meaning auditor stood with operator observing the checks as they are carried out, again recorded as above.

This two pronged approach is not 100% double check, but an ongoing program of sampling by part time internal auditors who get a small incentive on top of their job.  It helps ensure the records are tight and importantly the checks are done as specified.  Both are of equal importance.

In my experience it has identified improvements in procedures, quality checks, operator knowledge and commitment and problems with materials, equipment and the process. It has been viewed as a positive by third party auditors.  

In my opinion it is better than having the cost of full time paperwork checkers armed with a big ink stamp. :banned:

If your facility was located in the EU, then under Regulation 2023/2006, you would have to meet the following requirements:

Quality assurance system 1. The business operator shall establish, implement and ensure adherence to an effective and documented quality assurance system. That system shall: (a) take account of the adequacy of personnel, their knowledge and skills, and the organisation of the premises and equipment such as is necessary to ensure that finished materials and articles comply with the rules applicable to them; (b) be applied taking into account the size of the business run by the operator, so as not to be an excessive burden on the business. 2. Starting materials shall be selected and comply with preestablished specifications that shall ensure compliance of the material or article with the rules applicable to it. 3. The different operations shall be carried out in accordance with pre-established instructions and procedure

This would apply to your ENTIRE facility, not just one Dept.

So I guess this must be the case for your facility too. 

The only Dept. to be excluded are the ones that potentially do not produce or handle in any way FCM.