Paperless HACCP

Hi Everyone,

I am an Irish consultant who is very interested in paperless HACCP systems or basic hand held computer systems into which checks can be inputted and later downloaded to PC.

A couple of years ago, I invested a lot of time and money (might I add) in a handheld system (with a probe attachment) which purported itself to be much more than it actually was. Without going into detail, I gave up completely on these systems (the system was unreliable, the customer service non existant and the sellers downright rude) and went back to installing traditional paper based systems for my clients.

However now that time has passed, I am interested again in finding the best paperless HACCP, PDA type systems out there. I am hoping there are now more providers of these systems to be found worldwide.

If anyone can contribute, I would be most grateful. This is my first post and I have hundreds of crazy stories to tell from 10 years in the food safety business in Ireland, but I thought I had better start on a thoroughly professional note.

Donal

Hi Donal,

I am interested again in finding the best paperless HACCP, PDA type systems out there.

At the moment I am developing a paperless system for HACCP based on TiddlyWiki.
It is a client/client tool that runs in every browser on every OS, will be ready in 2-3 months ???.
Regarding porting it to a PDA, I did not attempt it but if you can run a browser with java it should be possible.
When ready I will upload to this forum.
Secondly I am investigation to adapt a client/server application like docuwiki or mediawiki for HACCP, but this is still in the trial fase of getting my server running, backup procedures etc.

Have a nice day, Okido

Hi Donal,

At the moment I am developing a paperless system for HACCP based on TiddlyWiki.
It is a client/client tool that runs in every browser on every OS, will be ready in 2-3 months ???.
Regarding porting it to a PDA, I did not attempt it but if you can run a browser with java it should be possible.
When ready I will upload to this forum.
Secondly I am investigation to adapt a client/server application like docuwiki or mediawiki for HACCP, but this is still in the trial fase of getting my server running, backup procedures etc.

Have a nice day, Okido

I'm not exactly sure what you are talking about Okido, but is sounds fascinating. It will be good to have a look when it is ready. Do you plan to sell it or are you doing it for the good of world food safety?

Anyone else want to add to this topic?

Regards,
Simon

La Coruña 12 February 2008

Sorry, I am not very familiar with those systems/applications you are talking about, but I would like to give my opinion.

Assuming that these systems for HACCP are available, I 'd rather buy a free software which I can adapt to " my HACCP plan! than a " system for HACCP " generic that makes me adapt "my HACCP plan" to the system.
The reasen why I am saying this is because the HACCP system tend to be specific for each premise/company.

Sayind this, how that system would work?

It is just an opinion

sincerely
Esther

Hello Donal
This response might be a bit later than you expected.
My company, Digitron has a paperless Haccp data capture system that runs on a PDA with an optional temperature probe attachment.
Noting others comments on the flexibility of the software our package does not try and prescribe the Haccp plan itself but actually allows the user to convert an existing paper form into an electronic version which can be completed on the PDA screen stored and uploaded wirelessly or via adownload cradle back to a central data base. The same software can also capture automaticlly the temperatures of the food storage fridges, freezers and coldrooms using wireless RF sensors in each area.
Maybe this is of interest to you.

Regards Jim Dryburgh

At the moment I am developing a paperless system for HACCP based on TiddlyWiki.
It is a client/client tool that runs in every browser on every OS, will be ready in 2-3 months ???.
Regarding porting it to a PDA, I did not attempt it but if you can run a browser with java it should be possible.
When ready I will upload to this forum.
Secondly I am investigation to adapt a client/server application like docuwiki or mediawiki for HACCP, but this is still in the trial fase of getting my server running, backup procedures etc.

Okido, I somehow ran into this old topic and wondered did you ever complete this project?

I'd be interested too. I'm planning to get something similar up and running within the next year or so (if I've not found a way out of the food industry by then...)

The other consideration is it's not always necessary to go for a PDA option. With sufficient PCs in a production area or access via panels on machinery, a PDA might only be needed for QA and Engineering functions who are here, there, everywhere...

Okido, I somehow ran into this old topic and wondered did you ever complete this project?

Hi Simon,

At the moment I have some things working.
In the TW based version I have document management operational, this means that you can control fi datasheets on date, validity, expiration, revision, next revision date, search function and sortable on the fields you enter. I am currently making it a little bit more fool proof, will take 2-3 weeks.
The HACCP version I am working on, you can input hazards, risk, control measures, validation, responsible, revision dates, follow up, notes.
The HACCP version will be one that gives you the framework and is easy adaptable, I expect that it can be workable with about 300-400 hazards with supporting data.
I would like to include simple flowcharts and that is still some what troublesome.
It should be usable for small companies who want to use software for HACCP at zero cost.

Regarding the server application. I did a lot of testing with different products.
The software I decided to use is apache server with mysql and drupal that runs on windows and linux.
I started with a management system for changes in specifications etc.
It is multi user with e-mail notification, document attachment, search options, tagging, pdf printing, etc, much like this forum is set up.
The plan is to test this configuration and to see what problems arise and if it can be maintained by people with little knowhow of IT.
To get something operational for HACCP it would involve additional programming, about 80hours I estimate and the summer is on the way you know.

Keep you informed, Okido

Thanks for the fascinating update Okido. It sounds like you have made a lot of progress with this and are not too far off. I’m interested to know what was your driver to do this - just and interest / hobby for personal use or do you intend to share / sell it at some point?

I am actually moving to a paperless HACCP and record keeping system and given the fact that I work for a small firm, I don't actually have a budget to do it.

So the solution I have come up with is to use a program call Open ERP which I have installed on one machine as a server (you download the software and it does it all for you - no need to understand anything like MySql). On other machines, including laptops, I have installed the Open ERP client software which connects wirelessly to the server.

Open ERP is Open Source software so it is free. The great thing about it is that it is easily configurable to any situation.

I can now trace products and ingredients from supplier to customer in a couple of clicks rather than having to follow a trail of paper. In addition, the staff can't use the same batch number over and over because as a quantity of product is used, it is recorded. (I had a problem at one time where staff were just too lazy to go and check a batch number in the folder so they used the same one for weeks - the batch/mass analysis resulted in us producing over 5 tonnes of minced lamb from 500kg!!). This can't happen now and if they try it, I pick up on the fact and correct them straight away.

I can also access our system remotely over the internet - I'm not quite sure how I set this up but it works using this Open ERP program.

If you need any more information, please feel free to ask or if you want to use the program and get stuck in configuring it I would be happy to help.

Hi

For your information, our system is designed to provide haccp controls through customised user checks on handhelds as well as automated monitoring (via RF temperature and cooking monitoring) and centalises the key data for management to view anywhere in the world.

The system is designed by IT developers together with food safety consultants and is flexible enough to incorporate client's unique controls.

The system is ideal for managers of multi-site operstioons wanting to receive essential information in realtime with a user-friendly dashboard of the most critrical information.

The system is currently used in major catering and retail environs in the UK and is proven to reduce paperwork, improve control, reduce manager and chef time through delegation as well as providing due diligence and reducing food safety problems, wastage and audit time. Enforcement officers routinely check the system and are impressed that records are so readily available and that corrective actions are so easy to control.

I think the biggest problems with online paperwork for HACCP monitoring is the signature and identifying this to the person. I have recently been working in a new project but joined after the project started. Where automated capture was required, it just hadn't been considered about the risks of not knowing who had done the checks (and hence the lack of traceability to the person). This is obviously an audit problem and potentially a disciplinary one depending on what has been done "wrong". Clocking card swiping has been proposed but again automatic log out is vital (after a short time period).

Also I think some production people assume that data can be automatically collected from a line without operator input. A classic was that the production team thought metal detection could be captured this way relying on the sensor to detect the package had been rejected. Erm, no! How many times have you seen a check fail in this way? I certainly have. In some cases there is just no substitution for a pair of eyes (at least at the moment) and even where this isn't the case, auditors I'm sure will demand a lot of validation work (justifiably imo) that the machine is capable of failsafing 100% of the time (and we all know that nothing is 100% failsafe...)

Fantastic discussion thread. We have had a production installation of our mobile eHACCP software program in food companies, facilities and plants in the US for several years. The tool is part of our QMS solution suite. I promised I wouldn't be blatantly commercial - so I will present a few of the lessons we've learned and important features we tried to include through our experience in working with some progressive and demanding food companies.

1. You have to validate signatures with compliance to FDA 21 CFR Part 11 (electronic signature compliance) in order to be operationally sound in collecting, managing or approving data collected via electronic device. So, authenticate and create a secure, traceable login and password to restrict personnel and track signatures via handhelds.
2. Task Scheduling and enforcement of data collection is as important of the ease and reporting. This means that you need to setup a scheduler to send data collection instructions to operators or inspectors and alert them when/where/how to perform data collection.
3. CCPs are only type of data, but they are the most "critical" and equally rigorous to program and schedule in a functional, timed program.
4. Reports and exception logic is critical to a closed loop system - so collect, score, report and launch deviation workflows and corrective action tasks when a threshold has been violated (e.g. temp out of range, metal detector invalid, ph level out-of-spec, etc.)
5. K.I.S.S. create something that works, not something that works against you. Making it bigger and badder is always idealists at play - making something easy to use and configurable and manageable is a better strategy.
6. Talk to and solicit feedback from industry peers. You only know what you know until you ask someone else what you don't.
7. Integrate with email, text messages and other systems and software you rely upon.

Glad to help more on some other hard-learned lessons and recommendations in implementing a eHACCP or QMS solution.

Regards,
James

I am actually moving to a paperless HACCP and record keeping system and given the fact that I work for a small firm, I don't actually have a budget to do it.

So the solution I have come up with is to use a program call Open ERP which I have installed on one machine as a server (you download the software and it does it all for you - no need to understand anything like MySql). On other machines, including laptops, I have installed the Open ERP client software which connects wirelessly to the server.

Open ERP is Open Source software so it is free. The great thing about it is that it is easily configurable to any situation.

I can now trace products and ingredients from supplier to customer in a couple of clicks rather than having to follow a trail of paper. In addition, the staff can't use the same batch number over and over because as a quantity of product is used, it is recorded. (I had a problem at one time where staff were just too lazy to go and check a batch number in the folder so they used the same one for weeks - the batch/mass analysis resulted in us producing over 5 tonnes of minced lamb from 500kg!!). This can't happen now and if they try it, I pick up on the fact and correct them straight away.

I can also access our system remotely over the internet - I'm not quite sure how I set this up but it works using this Open ERP program.

If you need any more information, please feel free to ask or if you want to use the program and get stuck in configuring it I would be happy to help.

Dear pawilliams,
How is your project going? I need to do the exact same thing... did you need to add any other apps to OpenERP ? how is it working?
can you trace lot numbers of different ingredients in different formulations? can you integrate all HACCP aspects into OpenERP?
I will be greatfull of any advice you can give us on your paperless HACCP integration with OpenERP...
THANK YOU,