Equipment Management Procedure

Define equipment requirements before purchase

New equipment is governed through a documented purchase specification established by Engineering Management in consultation with Technical Management. The specification defines the technical and operational requirements the equipment must meet, including its intended use and the materials or products it will handle.

Applicable legal and regulatory requirements are brought into the specification, with particular attention to the legal suitability of direct or indirect food-contact surfaces. Before procurement approval, Engineering Management and Technical Management assess hygienic suitability, including design, construction materials and surface finishes; where the application or risk profile requires further evaluation, relevant operational functions are also consulted.

The procedure also requires supplied equipment to be verified against the defined purchase specification before it is accepted for site use, keeping procurement and acceptance tied to documented requirements rather than informal suitability judgements.

Assess hygienic design and food-contact suitability

Equipment design and construction are assessed before use for contamination risks arising from materials, finishes and construction methods, including foreign-body, microbiological and allergen contamination. Engineering Management carries out that assessment in consultation with Technical Management.

For equipment intended for direct food contact, the document requires suitable materials and surface finishes that support hygienic operation. Where legal requirements apply to the materials or construction used in direct food-contact equipment, Technical Management confirms compliance before the equipment is authorised for use.

Commission new equipment before production use

Commissioning is managed by Engineering Management and is based on a risk assessment of the equipment. Installation activities are planned so that production environments, equipment surfaces and surrounding work areas are not contaminated during the work.

Once installation is complete, Hygiene Personnel carry out a documented hygiene clearance under the oversight of Hygiene Management. Quality Management then inspects the installation, condition and hygiene status and confirms acceptance before the equipment is put into operation.

Introducing new equipment also requires affected site controls to be reviewed and updated. Engineering Management coordinates this with Technical Management across training arrangements, operating procedures, cleaning activities, environmental monitoring, maintenance schedules and internal-audit coverage. Equipment layout and positioning must provide suitable access for cleaning, inspection and routine maintenance.

Control modification, relocation and return to service

Where existing equipment is modified, altered or upgraded, Engineering Management assesses the change in consultation with Technical Management for contamination risk and hygienic-design impact. If the change affects food-contact surfaces, construction materials, cleaning arrangements or operational controls, the same design-suitability and commissioning verification controls apply before the modified equipment returns to use.

Relocation of static equipment is similarly controlled. Engineering Technicians carry out the movement under Engineering Management, and relocation proceeds only after Engineering Management has confirmed that the move will not introduce contamination risks, damage the equipment or compromise the hygienic condition of the production environment or surrounding equipment.

Equipment removed from routine use is cleaned and stored so that it does not create contamination risks. Stored food-contact equipment that is not used daily is cleaned before return to service, and disinfection is required where risk assessment indicates that microbial contamination may be present after storage.

Manage mobile equipment and battery charging by contamination risk

Mobile equipment used where exposed product is present must be kept in a condition that prevents contamination during normal use. Where equipment has to be used externally before entering production and that movement creates a contamination risk, it is cleaned before entry; if contamination risk remains after cleaning, or a microbiological risk is identified, disinfection is required before the equipment enters production.

Battery-charging equipment is excluded from exposed-product areas unless the batteries are fully sealed or maintenance-free and present no leakage or contamination risk. Engineering Management controls charging-equipment location and is also required to keep it out of any position where it could present a contamination risk to products.

Allocate authority across engineering, technical, quality and hygiene functions

Senior Management provides the resources, infrastructure and organisational support for equipment management. Engineering Management owns the procurement, specification, technical approval, commissioning, layout, relocation, storage and reintroduction arrangements, while Technical or Quality Management owns the equipment-management control system and defines the hygienic-design and food-safety criteria that equipment must meet.

The procedure keeps verification authority visible at critical points: Technical Management confirms applicable legal requirements for direct food-contact equipment, Hygiene Personnel complete post-installation hygiene clearance, and Quality Management confirms operational acceptance after inspection. Operations Management controls hygienic use of production and mobile equipment, while employees are required to report damage, contamination risks or abnormal equipment conditions that could affect product safety or hygiene.

Connect equipment management with supporting FSQMS controls

The procedure defines the equipment-management controls while leaving specialist activities to the relevant parts of the FSQMS. Maintenance planning, servicing and execution are governed by the Maintenance Management Procedure, and equipment cleaning and hygiene controls are implemented through the Housekeeping & Hygiene Procedure.

Commissioning and acceptance generate documented evidence such as equipment specifications, installation and commissioning records, hygiene clearances and acceptance inspections. Training for personnel involved in equipment management is handled through the Training & Competence Procedure. Where battery-charging equipment placement or condition results in an identified non-conformity affecting product safety or hygiene controls, corrective action is managed through the Corrective & Preventive Action Procedure.