Equipment Decontamination Checklist Template

There are key steps in resolving non-compliances identified in equipment decontamination checklists, and the primary goal is to have an immediate resolution. Equipment sanitation is important in any industry, as it helps prevent contamination, which would negatively impact both the equipment and the products or materials used by the equipment. In some cases, especially when equipment has reached the end of its lifespan, it may require equipment decommissioning or the removal of the equipment to prevent further safety risks because you cannot decontaminate it anymore. In this scenario, it is important to transition to an equipment decommissioning checklist for the guidelines and the set of check items to follow to safely and legally remove equipment from operation, as it involves critical considerations such as disposal of the equipment, hazardous materials, and essential documentation of the removal process.

The following are the key steps to resolve non-compliances identified from the checklist:

1. Isolation of the non-compliant equipment - This is done by removing the equipment from regular operations, it should be marked non-compliant to be easily identifiable and to prevent cross-contamination
2. Document the non-compliance issue and record – Documenting the non-compliance would be alongside the visual inspection and to confirm if further decontamination and resolution is still possible.
3. Conduct root-cause analysis – Perform root-cause analysis upon identifying the problem. This involves evaluating why the non-compliance has occurred. Common causes of failed decontamination include chemical contamination, incomplete purging (e.g., if the decontamination process was not followed), end of the equipment’s usefulness, or ineffective materials used for decontamination.
4. Make corrective and preventive actions – The corrective and preventive actions would depend on the non-compliance detected. In most cases, corrective actions involve re-cleaning the equipment. In manufacturing industries, where incomplete purging is common, you need to re-run the purging. Preventive actions can include upgrading the decontamination equipment.

These four steps are necessary in resolving non-compliances identified in equipment decontamination checklists. It would be beneficial that a checklist is integrated in a software that can manage a full approach in non-compliance resolutions because in enables proper documentation, regulatory compliance and fast-tracked closure of results.