Line Clearance Failures and Issues

Hi all am working in a medical device company and Line Clearances are a very important aspect to our daily production.
Am not a member of the management team just a machine operator who is responsible for line clearances on both my machine and the next to me everyday
Doing line clearances in this area for 10 yrs i have major issues with the way management is dealing with the even increasing line clearance failures both in the production line and packing line. Having raised concerns over the yrs nothing is being done only rewriting of the SOP and pictures being added, the main issues is the machine is broken into 4 sections with conveyer belts connecting one to the other, there are hundreds of areas where product can get lodged and waste pipes and electrical wiring hanging between the machines and under making the process near impossible.
Problem is we were presented with a new revised version of the line clearance SOP last nov which we refused to sign till some of the issues were resolved, nothing was done although promised then this week we were presented with the same training records, refused to sign it again and went to QA and basically told we had to sign it, then a higher member of management approched and we felt we has no other angle to turn to so ended up signing the form. So basically wondering if anybody has had a similar issues
Sorry for such a long post

Re: Line Clearance issues.

Hi, blossimhill and Welcome to the Cove!

Your post sounds like this is an olde-style Theory 'X' management culture. Changing a culture, particularly this type can be very challenging. In your efforts the quality folks and accounting/Controller people may be helpful.

They can help quantify the costs of not executing a thorough line clear and can help identify the existing waste of time and material. They can also lend credible estimates of the effect of a 'spill' reaching the end customer.

Management may not listen to your complaints, but they often respond to a 'bottom line' profit and loss approach!

Best of luck in your endeavors.

I do agree; One way(in fact the best way) of reflecting... is in terms of ""cost/wastage""

But on the other hand, is there any understanding on reason why the QA/senior team is not attending to improve the situation? That could provide a clue in moulding your conversation/presentation to their language.
(most the times, just speaking their language makes the difference!!!); See if that helps!