Hose Labeling, Tracking, and Replacement Solutions For Process Facilities

The FDA has recently stepped up initiatives for the control and monitoring of all pharmaceutical product contact materials including flexible hose and tubing. Falling under FDA, 21 CRR 211.67, many pharmaceutical companies are adopting hose tracking programs. These tracking programs require specific information about each hose used in the pharmaceutical manufacturing process. George Younan, president of ProcessHQ in Chatsworth, CA, a supplier of high purity products, states that a common challenge for his customers is the implementation of a simple program to evaluate frequency of use, and how and where process hoses are used. Having a pharmaceutical manufacturing background himself, Mr. Younan's company is an example of a supplier who is keenly aware of the importance of detailed record keeping of products he supplies. "My customers simply cannot afford to allow an item like a hose to contaminate an expensive pharmaceutical batch by being overused or misapplied. Proper hose identification is crucial to our program.