SOP Guide for Pharma

SOP for Emergency Handling of Raw Material Storage Failures – V 2.0

SOP for Emergency Handling of Raw Material Storage Failures – V 2.0

Standard Operating Procedure for Emergency Handling of Raw Material Storage Failures

Department Warehouse / Quality Assurance / Safety Department
SOP No. SOP/RM/144/2025
Supersedes SOP/RM/144/2022
Page No. Page 1 of 15
Issue Date 13/03/2025
Effective Date 20/03/2025
Review Date 13/03/2026

1. Purpose

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines the emergency procedures to be followed in the event of raw material storage failures, including power outages, equipment malfunctions, temperature excursions, and natural disasters. The aim is to protect raw material integrity, ensure personnel safety, and maintain compliance with regulatory guidelines.

2. Scope

This SOP applies to all raw materials stored within the facility, including temperature-sensitive, hazardous, and volatile substances, and covers all possible storage failures affecting material quality and safety.

3. Responsibilities

  • Warehouse Personnel: Identify storage failures, initiate immediate corrective actions, and report incidents.
  • Warehouse Manager: Supervise emergency response actions, coordinate with relevant departments, and ensure documentation.
  • Safety Officer: Monitor safety during emergency responses and ensure compliance with emergency protocols.
  • Quality Assurance (QA): Review and validate materials post-incident, ensure compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

4. Accountability

The Warehouse Manager and Safety Officer are accountable for ensuring that emergency procedures are executed correctly.

The QA Manager is responsible for verifying material integrity post-emergency and ensuring regulatory compliance.

5. Procedure

5.1 Identification of Storage Failures

  1. Types of Failures:
    • Power outages affecting refrigeration or environmental controls.
    • Equipment malfunctions (e.g., HVAC, cold storage units).
    • Temperature excursions outside of specified ranges.
    • Structural failures (e.g., leaks, flooding, fire).
  2. Immediate Identification:
    • Warehouse personnel must regularly monitor environmental controls and report any deviations immediately.
    • Document all identified failures in the Storage Failure Identification Log (Annexure-1).

5.2 Initial Response to Storage Failures

  1. Immediate Actions:
    • Isolate the affected area to prevent contamination or further damage.
    • Inform the Warehouse Manager and Safety Officer immediately.
    • Initiate emergency backup systems if applicable (e.g., generators for cold storage).
  2. Safety Precautions:
    • Ensure that all personnel are equipped with appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when dealing with hazardous materials.
    • Evacuate the area if structural integrity is compromised (e.g., fire, flooding).
    • Document initial response actions in the Emergency Response Log (Annexure-2).

5.3 Material Assessment Post-Failure

  1. Quality Assessment:
    • QA personnel must assess the condition of raw materials affected by the storage failure.
    • Conduct visual inspections and, if necessary, laboratory testing to determine material integrity.
    • Document assessment results in the Material Assessment Log (Annexure-3).
  2. Decision Making:
    • Based on the assessment, classify materials as Approved, Quarantined, or Rejected.
    • Quarantined materials must be clearly labeled and stored separately until further analysis.
    • Document decisions in the Material Disposition Log (Annexure-4).

5.4 Corrective Actions and Reporting

  1. Corrective Actions:
    • Identify root causes of the storage failure and implement corrective measures to prevent recurrence.
    • Repair or replace malfunctioning equipment as required.
    • Document corrective actions in the Corrective Action Log (Annexure-5).
  2. Incident Reporting:
    • Prepare a detailed incident report summarizing the failure, actions taken, and outcomes.
    • Submit the report to the QA Manager and Regulatory Affairs, if applicable.
    • Document reports in the Incident Report Log (Annexure-6).

6. Abbreviations

  • SOP: Standard Operating Procedure
  • GMP: Good Manufacturing Practice
  • QA: Quality Assurance
  • PPE: Personal Protective Equipment
  • HVAC: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

7. Documents

  1. Storage Failure Identification Log (Annexure-1)
  2. Emergency Response Log (Annexure-2)
  3. Material Assessment Log (Annexure-3)
  4. Material Disposition Log (Annexure-4)
  5. Corrective Action Log (Annexure-5)
  6. Incident Report Log (Annexure-6)

8. References

  • 21 CFR Part 211 – Current Good Manufacturing Practice for Finished Pharmaceuticals
  • OSHA Emergency Action Plans (29 CFR 1910.38)
  • WHO GMP Guidelines for Storage and Distribution of Pharmaceuticals

9. SOP Version

Version: 2.0

10. Approval Section

Prepared By Checked By Approved By
Signature
Date
Name
Designation
Department

11. Annexures

Annexure-1: Storage Failure Identification Log

Date Failure Type Area Affected Description Identified By
13/03/2025 Power Outage Cold Storage Unit 1 Refrigeration failure for 2 hours Ravi Kumar
13/03/2025 HVAC Malfunction Storage Room B2 Temperature exceeded 25°C Neha Verma

Annexure-2: Emergency Response Log

Date Failure Type Immediate Actions Taken Responsible Person Outcome
13/03/2025 Power Outage Activated backup generator for cold storage Ravi Kumar Power restored, temperature maintained
13/03/2025 HVAC Malfunction Transferred temperature-sensitive materials to alternative storage Neha Verma Materials secured, HVAC repairs initiated

Annexure-3: Material Assessment Log

Date Material Name Batch Number Assessment Method Result (Pass/Fail) Assessed By
13/03/2025 Vitamin C VC-7890 Visual Inspection & Stability Test Pass Priya Singh
13/03/2025 Insulin INS-4567 Potency Test Fail Amit Joshi

Annexure-4: Material Disposition Log

Date Material Name Batch Number Disposition Status (Approved/Quarantined/Rejected) Remarks Verified By
13/03/2025 Vitamin C VC-7890 Approved No quality deviation found Ravi Kumar
13/03/2025 Insulin INS-4567 Rejected Potency loss due to temperature excursion Neha Verma

Annexure-5: Corrective Action Log

Date Failure Type Root Cause Corrective Action Implemented Responsible Person
13/03/2025 Power Outage Generator switch failure Repaired switch, installed automatic failover system Ravi Kumar
13/03/2025 HVAC Malfunction Blocked air filters Replaced filters, scheduled monthly maintenance checks Neha Verma

Annexure-6: Incident Report Log

Date Incident Description Area Affected Immediate Response Final Resolution Reported By
13/03/2025 Cold storage failure due to power outage Cold Storage Unit 1 Activated backup generator Power restored, materials re-assessed Ravi Kumar
13/03/2025 Temperature excursion in general storage Storage Room B2 Transferred materials to alternative storage HVAC repaired, affected materials evaluated Neha Verma

Revision History:

Revision Date Revision No. Revision Details Reason for Revision Approved By
01/01/2024 1.0 Initial Version New SOP Implementation QA Head
13/03/2025 2.0 Updated emergency protocols and assessment procedures Alignment with revised GMP and safety guidelines QA Head
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