How do you handle your chemical inventory?

How does everyone manage this section for an inventory list of chemicals without it becoming a massive job to keep it up to date?

Our company is small but we have streamlined the procedures to keep it simple but effective.

The QM or designated deputy are the only one's who can change the approved list of chemicals.

Only the QM will review and authorize additions to this list. Of course after verification of chemical and that all requirements are in place.

- Try to buy all cleaning chemicals from one supplier

- Ensure supplier is Certified ISO etc and chemicals are registered with MSDS available etc.

- Use automatic dispensing equipments where the gallons holding chemical can be set on the walls etc, but locked in place to prevent removal.

-You could have a Control officer who restocks these gallons

-Verify accuracy of concentrations from dispensing equipment once a week etc.

- Use a Access Database as your inventory file (I have one if you want).

Yes, my issue isn't with purchasing and access (very small company-only 2 order and storage is under lock and key) or titration

Its the phrase "up to date inventory" that i'm trying to figure out how to manage----we don't have a PO system that will allow export into another file automatically (although that would be nice)  What is an auditor going to consider up to date?

Ok, for that we update daily what is used (put into gallons etc.). Then every week we do physical. (we keep the copy of physical and it has a column to show variance). We file this. If you have large variances then you have to explain this or take steps to reduce them. 

So we are a small company as well (only 20 production/warehouse employees) and the only chemicals we use are for sanitation. All of our chemicals are in a fenced in (chain linked fence) area of the back of the warehouse, segregated from everything else, with the only employee access being the Sanitation Supervisor, the Operations Manager, and the QA Manager (myself). Because we are so small and our daily chemical usage is relatively small, I do a daily inventory of all the chemicals in our Chemical Storage. It only takes me about 5 minutes to do the inventory. Again, we are very small and this way works for us but might not work for a larger company. I keep a binder with my daily inventory in the office. Originally we did a weekly inventory (which was also what we used for ordering chemicals), but during our SQF audit, the auditor said our inventory was not up to date because we had received an order of chemicals between the last weekly inventory and our audit, which is why we switched a daily inventory.

We have the same issue as well, I try and do a daily inventory of the cleaning chemicals but we use so many cleaning chemicals and buy a variety of cleaning chemicals it is hard to keep track. Does anyone pre-measure the chemicals for their sanitation employees?

Sanitation chemicals run through a dosatron..........unit is set to draw the correct amount of chemical and mix with water to get the target concentrations

Hello,

First, food grade and non-food grade chemicals must be stocked separately. You must have a bin card, whenever there is usage it must be deducted from  the stock in real time. It would be a massive job if usage amount is not deducted on time. It was our experience when the stock man do the "table work", and we were lost in our inventory. 

Some auditors, would really check the volume/quantity of your stock, especially food grade chemicals against delivery and usage.

regards,

redfox

Thanks Redfox, that's a great idea!

Just do a simple Excel sheet that shows the chemical, the date of inventory, quantity received and quantity on hand.

Do it once per week. Do it on a Friday.

Is it "up to date" on the following Thursday? No, but I doubt any auditor would pick nits on that.

Marshall

I agree with Marshall....keep it simple. We count our inventory once per week and have done it that way for years. Current inventory compared to last weeks inventory shows your usage/ and or purchases. Multiple auditors over the course of past years have accepted this method as it shows an "up to date inventory" and "control".  :happydance: Hope that helps. 

I have put a simple in/out sheet in the chemical storage room and instructed all who have access to use it.

Thanks everyone

What section of the SQF code requires all of this?

Any idea if it effects module 13?

All I see is 13.6.3.1 "Hazardous chemicals and toxic substances with the potential for contamination of packaging materials shall be stored so as not to present a hazard to staff, packaging, or areas in which packaging is handled, stored or transported." and 13.6.3.2 "The use of hazardous chemicals and toxic substances, including solvents and agents, shall be used according to manufacture recommendations and Safety Data Sheets (SDS)." We have and keep a chemical control program I update quarterly but there is no real guidance on what and how often we need to review it. I kknow at least annually

I went through module 13 quickly and only saw what you've got listed, so no inventory required, but you DO need inventory for cleaning chemicals 13.2.11.7

It only says an inventory though so, technically not a register just a list of the cleaning agents we can use (wait, isn't that a register?) but it's not an issue really, as I already keep a total Active Chemical Register separated by Food Safe and Non-Food Safe anyway. But there doesn't seem to be a schedule for updating so I'm thinking it must be "adequate" for our purposes and / or at least annually (currently quarterly). I've got feelers out to other packaging manufacturers that have already had their audit this year.

All I see is 13.6.3.1 "Hazardous chemicals and toxic substances with the potential for contamination of packaging materials shall be stored so as not to present a hazard to staff, packaging, or areas in which packaging is handled, stored or transported." and 13.6.3.2 "The use of hazardous chemicals and toxic substances, including solvents and agents, shall be used according to manufacture recommendations and Safety Data Sheets (SDS)." We have and keep a chemical control program I update quarterly but there is no real guidance on what and how often we need to review it. I kknow at least annually

For 13.6.3.1 maybe have a look at the Guidance for Module 11, >  11.6.4.1

(clearly the Packaging clauses have been heavily abbreviated compared module 11)

I saw no mention of "review" but noticed below, but these are presumably due a direct request for inventory in 11.6.4.5 which you luckily (strangely) don't seem to have -
 

An inventory of stored chemicals must be available at all times.
 

The inventory agrees with the actual stock in store;