8 replies to this topic

[Mariann]

Hi

 

If the metal detector alarms for a product, how do you mark the product, and do you place it somewhere specific to wait for further investigation?

[MDaleDDF]

We write "METAL" on the bag and take it immediately to the lab for sifting/investigation.

[kconf]

Yes, write the lot #, date & time, line. Then like MDaleDDF said, take it immediately for further investigation. In my experience, there has been 50-50 chance of finding something. 

[GMO]

It has depended on the site but in some sites the person doing the detector check does the investigation themselves, in others it's QA but it's immediate because it could signal an issue further upstream.

If you don't find anything it's worth considering if it was just too small or multiple tiny pieces and still potentially an issue if you suddenly start getting lots of "false" rejects.  (Bitter experience...)

[TimG]

I'm not sure about BRC but when I ran an SQF program that had a metal detector we were sure to put the procedure in the metal detector document, which referenced the NCP doc. Those products got placed on NCP; we had a laminated NCP placard, and any hits went right to its own NCP pallet to then be re-ran by the shift supervisor. It had to make 2 clean passes by the shift supervisor who would do it immediately after his accuracy checks. If it flagged again, he/she would rip it open and fill out disposition paperwork that I would then review when I was back in that plant.

You want to make sure any product you set aside is clearly separated/sequestered and has no chance or going through as passed product.

[kconf]

So you just separate what was rejected, right? The line that is running the lot keeps running?

[GMO]

So you just separate what was rejected, right? The line that is running the lot keeps running?

 

For one reject, keep running and investigate.  For two rejects, stop the line and assess.  For two rejects of the same type, stop the factory...

Or at least that was the M&S protocol back in the day and you can see the sense in it but it probably is site dependent.  You shouldn't have metal routinely cropping up in your product.

[kconf]

Stop the line and stop the factory even if they are discovered to be false positive later? 

[Tony-C]

Hi Mariann,

 

Ideally you will be rejecting into a locked cage and then QA will collect the product, mark it as rejected with date/time, check the rejected product by running it through the detector again and then opening and inspection/sieving as appropriate.

 

Kind regards,

 

Tony