All Hands on Deck! Immediate Responses To a Production Breakdown

Unexpected production downtime is another way of saying that you have experienced a system failure, otherwise known as a breakdown. This is an event that normally translates into the highest potential for foreign matter concerns for any production line. It is beneficial to have a plan in place so that production employees know what they can do to help and how they can fill their unexpected “free time” when breakdown situations occur.

Following are immediate responses that should be implemented to speed up the downtime process and ensure the line is ready for startup after repair:

• Secure the line (shut it down).
• Clear product to enable maintenance to access the systems for repair. Help with repairs, if applicable, but more importantly, stay out of the maintenance department’s way!
• Remove and protect as much product as possible.
• Clear all the thermal processing units (oven, steam kettles, cookers, fryers).
• Run out all salvageable product through packaging to secure it in a package and reduce contamination potential.
• Begin removal of all raw product from the processing line where the breakdown affects it.
• Dispose of all waste product in appropriate containers.
• Begin cleanup and inspection of the processing line not requiring repair due to the breakdown to prepare for re-startup.
• Perform a detailed inspection of the line before startup.
• Complete verification of work.
• Complete the needed documentation for all events that occurred.
• Provide a root cause analysis for the downtime.
• Assign corrective action.
   

Maximizing Free Time

Personnel that aren’t involved in the immediate breakdown response activities still play an important role. Following are several tasks that production personnel can complete while the line is repaired. These are also things employees can do to fill small doses of free time/downtime that is not a result of a system failure.

• Clean. If you have time to lean, you have time to clean. Grab a broom – keeping your area clean always supports food safety. Consult the master cleaning schedule for tasks that can be completed for the affected line in the time available. Clean the surrounding area, including cabinets and drawers. Clean spillage or excess material from floor areas. Ensure that sweeping is done in a direction away from food contact surfaces. Clean residue off of materials from equipment framework and indirect food contact surfaces. Dispose of accumulated trash.
   
• Inspect. Perform a mini self-inspection. Divide the team in groups and inspect sections of the line. This activity is a real time inspection, not the scheduled monthly inspection that happens every fourth Wednesday at 10 a.m. Sometimes impromptu inspections with line supervisors can be more valuable than scheduled inspections with senior management alone. Check the product contact surfaces and product zones (directly above product contact surfaces) on your line for things that might contaminate the product. Look up to see if you can find any potential issues, especially those that are directly above the product, packaging, or finished product. Inspect the equipment for any potential issues, such as oil leaks or loose connections. Check the condition of tools and utensils used in processing (knives, scoops). Make sure containers are covered and utensils and tools are properly stored.
   
• Inventory. Inventory and reorganize production supplies. Restock scaling containers, packaging supplies, paper towels, raw materials, and other supplies in secondary storage locations. Verify correct rotation and lot codes of minor ingredients in secondary containers: First in/First out (FIFO) or First Expired/First out (FEFO). Sometimes production time constraints don’t afford employees enough time to verify lot codes when stocking secondary containers.
   
• Train. Organize an impromptu training session on GMPs or other identified needs. You can appoint the best employee to provide a GMP review if he or she is comfortable doing so. Consider an overview of recent complaints.
   
• Review. Assemble your immediate team and discuss what went well since the shift started and what can be improved by the end of the shift. Review the weekly key performance indicator (KPI) results for the line and share best practices by best employee or group. Recognize lines and specific people involved in good results if that information is available. If the cause for breakdown has been determined, meet with key personnel to determine why it occurred and what needs to be done to prevent recurrence.
   

And remember, after being away from your work station, wash and sanitize your hands before returning to work!

The author is Editor, Food Safety Communications for AIB International.