Shards of glass, splinters of glass, crushed glass – all have frightful consequences

Out of all the dangerous substances that can contaminate herbal medicines, glass must rank as among the most alarming. 

Shards of glass, splinters of glass, crushed glass – all have frightful consequences if they are ingested or accidentally rubbed on the skin.

“This is just common sense” you might say.  No-one in their right mind would allow glass anywhere near herbal medicine production.  Even to suggest the idea of glass contamination is unnecessary fear-mongering.

Until you stop to calculate all the possible ways in which glass might be brought onto a production site and, despite all normal standards of care and attention, find its way into finished goods.

That is why at Herbs in a Bottle we give glass special attention with glass awareness training, glass control processes, and glass safety systems – all defined in our operating procedures and audited as part of our GMP licence.

We start with limiting the amount of glass that is allowed into Essendine and strictly controlling the conditions under which it is allowed into production areas.  For instance, staff are advised not to bring glass onto site.  Use of glass for drinking purposes is confined to the canteen and offices. 
Herbs in a Bottle tinctures and fluid extracts are not produced in glass bottles.

Customers can, for large orders, request production into glass bottles under very strict control conditions.  Smaller sizes of essential oils are stocked in glass bottles.  We also offer glass bottles as part of our packaging portfolio.

Glass packaging (which only comes from approved suppliers) is carefully inspected when it is delivered.  The checks have to be documented.  If there is any evidence, however slight, that the glass has been broken the delivery is turned away. 

Within our warehousing are designated areas where glass must be stored and monitored.  Outer containers of glass bottles must be resealed after opening.  The stock is regularly inspected.

Laboratory glass (instruments of various kinds) must not leave the laboratory suite.  No laboratory glass must leave the QC rooms.  Plastic measuring cylinders and jugs are provided for use outside the laboratory.

Inevitably where glass is allowed there will from time to time be breakages.  It is important therefore that everyone is trained to know what to do when breakages occur.  It is not enough to just sweep it up and hope for the best. 

All glass breakages must be reported and the risk of contamination assessed.  All activity within the area of the breakage must stop and the area is isolated until the breakage is dealt with.  It is important to realise that spread of glass shards from a breakage may be over a significant area, and therefore all the equipment and floor must be cleaned, washed, swept and vacuumed. 

For all breakages a Glass Incident Form must be completed describing the incident, and the action taken in response.  Radius ratios are taken into account when deciding how far the cleaning should extend.  Designated cleaning materials (coloured red) must be used in glass incidents, and soles of shoes inspected and cleaned.

After clean-up has been completed our Quality Supervisors then carry out minute inspections of the area using a sticky tape medium to look for any evidence of glass shards.  If any are found the decontamination process must be repeated.  Only when the QC inspection is positive can the area be released and the clearance signed-off.

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