Safe handling, transportation and storage in the pharmaceutical industry are incredibly important for keeping products safe, functional and easy to access.
These practices must comply with safety regulations to ensure the products are safe for purchase and consumption. This article explains the benefits of appropriate transportation, storage and handling in the pharmaceutical industry and how to meet the proper safety standards essential to the industry.
Meet regulations
Pharmaceutical companies must follow Good Distribution Practices (GDP) and Good Storage Practices (GSP) in compliance with pharmaceutical safety standards. These are standards designed to safeguard medications from contamination or damage during processing.
Equally, companies must make sure that licensing and audits are regularly conducted and that the tests meet the standards of authorities like the FDA, EMA, WHO, MHRA, or relevant local bodies.
Organisation and safety
The stock should be organised well so that it is safe and easily accessible. Use separate storage areas for:
- Temperature-sensitive drugs (cold chain, refrigerated, frozen)
- Hazardous chemicals
- Quarantine or returned products
In these storage areas, you want clearly marked zones with proper signage that make it quick and easy to see where everything is.
There should be a rota for material flow and shelf stocking to minimise congestion and collisions between forklifts or trolleys.
Finally, there should be accessible emergency exits and evacuation routes so that all staff can evacuate easily in an emergency.
Control the environment
The areas where drugs and products are stored should be controlled to meet each product’s specific needs. For example, refrigerated medicines, such as insulin, need to be stored at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius.
You can also implement control measures to prevent contamination from external sources, such as pests. This is more important for some sensitive products or medications that may require a cleanroom.
Regulations and maintenance
When ensuring your equipment is efficient for transporting and storing products, you need to be aware of equipment regulations and maintenance requirements.
Regular maintenance of goods lifts, pallet jacks, conveyors and automated storage systems will ensure they operate as intended and that there are no areas where medication is mishandled or inappropriately stored.
Another way to make sure the equipment is efficient and functioning is to implement proper training and certification for operators. This will mean they can identify any potential problems before they are noticed in regular maintenance checks.
These training situations should involve training for:
- Handling chemicals
- Emergency procedures
- Ergonomics and lifting techniques
- Reporting hazards and near misses
Implement lockout/tagout procedures. These procedures mean that the machines must be shut off and cannot be restarted if they experience any issues. This is a great way to prevent staff injuries or production disruptions.
Fire and emergency safety
An essential part of ensuring any workplace or store is safe is ensuring it meets fire safety regulations and has emergency exit and evacuation procedures.
For fire safety, you can install systems like:
- Sprinklers
- Extinguishers
- Fire blankets
- Fire doors
It is also important to implement emergency response training for employees (fire drills, evacuation, spill containment).
In pharmaceutical warehouse storage units, it may also be worth providing PPE and hazardous chemical suits to protect people’s skin and lungs from any harmful chemicals in the event of a spill.
Security and monitoring
Some tips for enhancing security in your stores include:
- Having controlled access to prevent theft or unreported issues
- 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 check everything is running smoothly, but there are some other ways to monitor stock to ensure you’re meeting safety standards:
- Get regular internal audits and inspections
- Keep track of any incidents
Implement safety regulations
Health and safety in the pharmaceutical industry are paramount. Take on board this advice and make sure you are actively meeting these standards and keeping your staff, stock and customers safe.
Read more:
Pharmaceutical Warehouse Safety