1.0 OBJECTIVE:
1.1 This SOP shall describe the procedure for maintaining cleanliness and orderly conditions in warehouse areas to prevent contamination, deterioration of materials, pest infestation, and mix-ups.
2.0 SCOPE:
2.1 This SOP shall be applicable to the following warehouse areas:
2.1.1 Raw Material Warehouse
2.1.2 Packaging Material Warehouse
2.1.3 Finished Goods Warehouse
2.1.4 Quarantine Areas
2.1.5 Rejected Material Areas
2.1.6 Dispatch Areas
3.0 RESPONSIBILITIES:
3.1 Warehouse In-Charge shall ensure implementation of this SOP.
3.2 Stores Personnel / Housekeeping Personnel shall perform cleaning activities as defined.
3.3 Quality Assurance (QA) shall monitor compliance during routine inspections.
4.0 DEFINATIONS:
4.1 Housekeeping: Housekeeping refers to routine activities performed to maintain cleanliness, orderliness, and safe conditions in warehouse areas.
4.2 Cleaning: Cleaning refers to the removal of dust, dirt, waste materials, and other unwanted substances from warehouse surfaces and equipment.
5.0 PROCEDURE:
5.1 General Requirements:
5.1.1 Warehouse areas shall be maintained clean, dry, and orderly at all times.
5.1.2 Cleaning shall be performed in a manner that does not adversely affect stored materials.
5.1.3 Only approved cleaning agents and cleaning aids shall be used.
5.1.4 Cleaning activities shall be documented as per approved cleaning log format.
5.2 Cleaning Frequency:
5.2.1 Cleaning shall be performed daily (At the start and end of each shift) as per the defined schedule.
5.2.2 Floors, aisles, racks, walls and movement pathways etc. shall be cleaned during cleaning.
5.2.3 Additional cleaning shall be performed whenever visible dust, debris, or spillage is observed.
5.2.4 Only approved cleaning agents shall be used in warehouse areas.
5.2.5 Cleaning agents shall be suitable for dry storage areas and shall not leave harmful residues.
5.2.6 Excessive use of water or liquid cleaning agents shall be avoided.
5.2.7 Cleaning agents shall be prepared, used, and stored as per manufacturer instructions.
5.3 Cleaning Aid / Equipment and Method:
5.3.1 Cleaning tools shall be dedicated for warehouse use.
5.3.2 Cleaning aids (brooms, mops, cloths, brushes) shall be maintained in clean and good condition.
5.3.3 Cleaning aids showing the following conditions shall not be used:
5.3.3.1 Broken handles
5.3.3.2 Worn-out or shedding fibers
5.3.3.3 Discoloration due to contamination
5.3.3.4 Rust or physical damage
5.3.4 Defective cleaning aids shall be discarded and replaced immediately.
5.3.5 Cleaning equipment shall be stored in designated areas separate from material storage.
5.3.6 Dry cleaning methods (e.g., sweeping with non-shedding tools) shall be preferred in material storage areas.
5.3.7 Wet cleaning shall be performed and shall ensure no water accumulation.
5.3.8 Cleaning shall be done carefully to avoid disturbing labels or damaging materials.
5.3.9 Materials shall not be moved unnecessarily during cleaning.
5.4 Cleaning Materials and Equipment:
5.4.1 Cleaning tools shall be dedicated to the areas.
5.4.2 Cleaning equipment shall be stored in designated areas.
5.4.3 Tools shall be maintained in clean and good condition.
5.4.4 Use of excessive water or chemicals shall be avoided.
5.5 Waste Handling:
5.5.1 Waste materials shall be collected in designated bins.
5.5.2 Waste bins shall be clearly identified and regularly emptied.
5.5.3 Waste shall not accumulate in warehouse areas.
5.6 Precautions During Cleaning:
5.6.1 Cleaning activities shall not result in contamination of materials.
5.6.2 Quarantine, Approved, and Rejected materials shall not be mixed during cleaning.
5.6.3 Cleaning shall be performed in a manner that does not obstruct emergency exits or movement paths.
5.6.4 Cleaning activities shall be recorded in the Cleaning Log.
5.7 Handling of Spillage During Cleaning:
5.7.1 Any spillage observed shall be handled as per Spillage Handling SOP.
5.7.2 Affected materials shall be segregated and reported to QA.
5.8 Deviation / Incident:
5.8.1 Any failure to perform cleaning as per schedule shall be documented.
5.8.2 Repeated non-compliance shall be escalated to QA.
5.9 Training:
5.9.1 Personnel involved in warehouse cleaning shall be trained on this SOP.
5.9.2 Training records shall be maintained.
6.0 REFERENCE:
6.1 WHO TRS 961, Annex 2
6.2 WHO Good Storage Practices
7.0 RECORDS:
Sr No. Title Document No.
01 Cleaning Log F/WH007/001-00
8.0 REVISION HISTORY:
Amendment Date: Update Summary Version No.
NA New SOP 01