Safe handling, transportation and storage are extremely important in the pharmaceutical industry to keep products safe, functional and easily accessible.
These practices must comply with safety regulations to ensure that products are safe to purchase and consume. This article discusses the benefits of appropriate transportation, storage and handling in the pharmaceutical industry and how to meet safety standards essential to the industry.
Meet the regulations
Pharmaceutical companies must follow Good Distribution Practices (GDP) and Good Storage Practices (GSP) in accordance with pharmaceutical safety standards. These are standards designed to protect medications from contamination or damage during processing.
Likewise, companies must ensure that licensing and audits are carried out regularly and that testing meets the standards of authorities such as the FDA, EMA, WHO, MHRA or relevant local authorities.
Organization and security
The supply should be well organized so that it is safe and easily accessible. Use separate storage areas for:
In these storage areas, you need clearly marked zones with appropriate signage so you can quickly and easily see where everything is.
There should be a rotation for material flow and shelf stocking to minimize congestion and collisions between forklifts or carts.
Finally, barrier-free emergency exits and evacuation routes should be available so that all employees can evacuate easily in the event of an emergency.
Control the environment
The areas where medications and products are stored should be controlled to meet the specific needs of each product. For example, refrigerated medications such as insulin must be stored at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius.
You can also take control measures to prevent contamination from external sources such as pests. This is even more important for some sensitive products or medications that may require a clean room.
Regulations and maintenance
If you want to ensure that your equipment is efficient for moving and storing products, you need to understand the equipment regulations and maintenance requirements.
Regular maintenance of freight elevators, pallet trucks, conveyors and automated storage systems ensures that they are functioning as intended and that there are no areas where medications are mishandled or stored incorrectly.
Another way to ensure equipment is efficient and functional is to properly train and certify operators. This means they can identify potential problems before they are noticed during regular maintenance checks.
These training situations should include:
- Handling chemicals
- Emergency measures
- Ergonomics and lifting techniques
- Reporting hazards and near misses
Implement lockout/tagout procedures. These procedures mean that the machines must be turned off and cannot be restarted if problems occur. This is an excellent way to prevent personnel injuries or production interruptions.
Fire and emergency safety
An essential part of ensuring the safety of a workplace or business is complying with fire safety regulations and adhering to emergency exit and evacuation procedures.
For fire protection, you can install systems such as:
- sprinkler
- Fire extinguisher
- Fire blankets
- Fire doors
It is also important to conduct emergency training for employees (fire drills, evacuation, spill containment).
In pharmaceutical storage units, it may also be worth providing PPE and hazardous chemical protective suits to protect people’s skin and lungs from harmful chemicals in the event of a spill.
Security and surveillance
Some tips to improve security in your stores include:
- Controlled access to prevent theft or unreported problems
- Install CCTV surveillance and alarm systems
- Have a clear inventory system that tracks products and quickly detects missing items
Many of these security measures can be monitored to ensure everything is running smoothly. However, there are other ways to monitor inventory to ensure you are meeting safety standards:
- Undergo regular internal audits and inspections
- Track all incidents
Implement safety regulations
Health and safety are top priorities in the pharmaceutical industry. Heed this advice and ensure you are actively adhering to these standards and ensuring the safety of your employees, inventory and customers.
