Utilities Management Procedure
Part of Food Industry Hub’s FSQMS Policies and Procedures Suite.
The Utilities Management Procedure forms part of the Food Industry Hub FSQMS Policies and Procedures Suite.
It defines the controls for water, ice, steam, air and other gases used within production and storage environments so that these utilities do not present a contamination risk to products.
The procedure combines routine utilities monitoring with potable-water controls, management of water storage and distribution, risk-based water sampling and analysis, and control of air and gases used as ingredients or in direct product contact. It also defines the responsibilities and response arrangements used when monitoring or analytical evidence indicates deterioration, contamination risk or loss of control.
Monitor utilities and restore safe operating conditions
A structured monitoring regime covers water, ice, steam, air and other gases used across production and storage areas. Engineering Technicians observe the condition and performance of the utilities and associated infrastructure, while Technical Management oversees the programme and directs response where monitoring identifies conditions that could introduce contamination risk.
Where deterioration or abnormal conditions are identified, the procedure requires Technical Management to direct corrective action so that safe operating conditions are restored before the affected utility continues in use. If equipment damage, utility failure or another condition could lead to product contamination, affected product is managed through the Non-Conforming Product Control Procedure, with underlying corrective action managed through the Corrective & Preventive Action Procedure.
Maintain potable water at the point of use
Water used in food manufacture, product preparation, hand-washing and equipment or plant cleaning is required to be available in sufficient quantity and potable at the point of use. Engineering Technicians maintain the water supply, treatment and distribution controls, and Technical Management verifies that potable-water status is consistently achieved and that water used in processing does not introduce contamination risks when assessed against applicable legal safety requirements.
The procedure separates normal use from loss-of-control decisions. Where the required water conditions are demonstrated, use may continue; where they cannot be demonstrated, Technical Management restricts use of the supply until compliance is restored. Potentially affected product is then brought under non-conforming product controls, with incident, withdrawal and recall escalation applied where required.
Control storage and keep the water system visible
On-site water storage and holding tanks are maintained so that stored water is protected from contamination before use. The procedure also requires an up-to-date schematic of the water distribution system showing water sources, holding tanks, treatment components and any recycling systems present on site.
That schematic is more than an infrastructure record. Quality Assurance Technicians use it to identify appropriate sampling locations across the distribution system, while Technical Management uses it to oversee water quality across sources, treatment stages and distribution points. Changes to infrastructure, treatment or storage arrangements must be reflected so that the schematic remains an accurate representation of the system.
Verify water quality through risk-based sampling and analysis
Microbiological and chemical water quality is verified through routine sampling and external laboratory analysis. Samples are collected at the frequency required by legislation or, where legislation does not define a frequency, at least once per year. Sampling, handling and laboratory analysis are linked to the Product Inspection, On-site Testing & Laboratory Analysis Procedure, with the resulting records controlled through the records-management framework.
Technical Management determines sampling locations, analytical scope and monitoring frequency using the water source, on-site storage and distribution systems, infrastructure configuration, previous analytical results and operational use. Where that evaluation identifies increased risk, the testing frequency is increased; where the existing frequency remains adequate, the established schedule continues.
Control air, gases and direct-contact compressed air
Air and gases used as ingredients or in direct contact with products are brought within the utilities control framework. Engineering Technicians maintain and inspect compressors, dryers, pipework and filtration systems so that deterioration, equipment failure or loss of filtration effectiveness does not introduce contamination risk, while Technical Management oversees monitoring and reviews the results of air or compressed-air verification activities where these are required.
For compressed air that comes into direct contact with product, the procedure requires filtration at the point of contact to remove particulates, oil residues, moisture or other contaminants immediately before use. Technical Management verifies the effectiveness of these controls through maintenance and inspection evidence and, where required by risk assessment, through compressed-air quality testing.
Assign responsibility across technical, engineering and quality functions
Senior management provides the resources, infrastructure and organisational support needed for effective utilities control. Technical or Quality Management establishes and oversees the utilities management system, defines the monitoring, sampling and analytical controls, reviews results and directs action where contamination risk or loss of control is identified.
Engineering Technicians operate and maintain the physical utility systems, including water supply, storage, distribution, treatment and compressed-air filtration. Quality Assurance Technicians collect and submit water samples from the defined locations and communicate laboratory results to Technical or Quality Management. Employees are required to follow the controls relevant to their work and report utility conditions that could affect product safety or hygiene.
Maintain evidence and connect utilities control with the wider FSQMS
Utilities monitoring records, water sampling records, microbiological and chemical analysis results, the water distribution schematic and compressed-air filtration maintenance records provide evidence of the controls applied. Training for personnel who approve, oversee, monitor, maintain or operate utilities is managed through the Training & Competence Procedure.
The procedure also defines clear interfaces with document control, record completion and maintenance, laboratory analysis, corrective and preventive action, non-conforming product control, and incident, withdrawal and recall management. Those interfaces keep the current document focused on utilities control while directing related product, corrective-action and escalation decisions to the procedures that govern them.