Use permits to work to support HACCP
January 2011
IT in Manufacturing
Scott Bredin, product director, ApplyIT
Traditionally, permits to work have been used as a tool to protect employees, contractors and the assets they maintain. Permits are vital for listing possible hazards in the workplace and for detailing how these hazards can be mitigated through isolation of energy sources and the appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
However, in the past decade, with greater social awareness of the impact of industry on the environment and communities, we have seen changes to the types of instructions and conditions to work included on permits. A good example is the use of IntelliPERMIT to support hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) protocols in food processing factories.
HACCP is a systematic preventative management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical and physical hazards. This analysis takes place at all stages of food production and preparation processes, from raw material production, procurement and handling to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product.
In the US, HACCP is a requirement for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for certain food and pharmaceutical products. Essentially, the process focuses on making sure that your morning yoghurt is not flavoured with axel grease, that you find no bolts in your muesli and no bird droppings in your sugar.
The IntelliPERMIT permit to work application assists permit issuers to identify maintenance work taking place in HACCP related areas, and ensures that the appropriate measures that need to be taken are acknowledged on the permits. These measures are spelt out clearly in the principles of HACCP: to identify hazards, assess risk and list controls; determine critical control points; specify criteria to ensure control; establish a monitoring system for control points; take corrective action whenever monitoring indicates criteria are not met; verify that the system is working as planned and keep suitable records. Once the job is complete, the responsible team is prompted to make certain that hygiene guards have been replaced and maintenance debris, such as iron filings or grease has been cleared. These steps are signed off by the appropriate HACCP authorities in the specific work area, as verified by their competencies in IntelliPERMIT.
The benefit of this approach is that it streamlines the work approval process and eliminates the need for dedicated HACCP related forms to be completed and signed off. The system also provides a time-stamped audit trail to assist with the investigation of any non-conformances.
HACCP has been increasingly applied to industries other than food, such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals to eliminate unsafe practices. The very nature of its strict conformance requirements makes it an ideal match for IntelliPERMIT’s specific management of safety issues during manufacturing. The benefits of a well planned and comprehensive permit system do not stop at the factory gate; they can be traced all the way through the supply chain onto the shelves of your local grocery store.
Scott Bredin
For more information contact Scott Bredin, ApplyIT, +27 (0)31 275 8083, [email protected], www.applyit.com
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