5 replies to this topic

[Radhika13]

We manufacture wine and before bottling we don't have any glass or brittle plastic to identify and monitor but during bottling which is too not a open product we have rinser, filler and capping with acrylic doors which remains in close condition during bottling. Do we need to number them and monitor under glass and brittle plastic policy???

[Setanta]

I would think so, yes. After the product is sealed it becomes less of a concern, but you still want to monitor for potential issues.

[AZuzack]

Glass or brittle plastic that is part of a piece of manufacturing equipment, like a gauge or a control panel cover or the doors you mentioned should be monitored in the pre- and post-operational activities.  The person setting up or taking apart the equipment should check those and note if they are broken or in need of repair.  Quality would have to assess the equipment to determine if it can be used as is, or requires some level of repair for use.  The maintenance program should document the temporary and permanent fixes. Quality would potentially document it under one of the deviation or nonconformance programs. 

 

For a Quality Glass and Brittle check, I check all the other plastic/glass that is not part of the processing equipment and I do a risk analysis on all the types (sometimes separated by location) to justify doing a monthly check instead of a weekly or bi-weekly check.  

 

Monthly check includes Overhead lights, plastic signs on walls, outlet covers, phones, dock lights, computers parts (but you could argue they should do that in the pre-op), bug/insect lights, sani lights, exit signs, emergency lights, AED wall boxes, TV Monitors on the walls, motion sensors, roll up door gear boxes, cameras, windows (to the outside, but also in doors), etc.  

 

Additionally, I take pictures of the items and make a little binder with photos.  I include any specifications we have for shatter proof items.  The risk assessment.  a blank form of the monthly check.  

[SQFconsultant]

Yes, most certainly .

[GMO]

Yes and while I am not quite of the opinion of an old boss of mine who said "all your team do is walk around looking at lights" sadly a lot of the glass and hard plastic inspection stuff is needed for audit compliance.  I'm not saying it's unnecessary.  I'm just fed up that how many years has it been where we've all been drawing on cracks on plastic doors because they still haven't been replaced.  So we can at least prove to the auditor we're monitoring it.

It's all such a massive waste of time.  Why have we not come up with better materials not to waste the hours and hours our teams spend on this activity?  Where perspex doors aren't crucial (like in aseptic processes) I now insist on lasered stainless or at least try to.  I can't be doing with the amount of time my teams' waste.

[Radhika13]

Thank you everyone for your response.