Importance of Standard Operating Procedures
All
organizations irrespective of their functional areas strive to give their best
in terms of quality of products and services. This is essential to maintain a
competitive
edge and keep their clients satisfied.
Each
organization has its quality manual which defines its quality policies. The
quality manual specifies standard operating procedures (SOP’s) which are a set
of documents which define practices which need to be followed in word and
spirit by all employees strictly and without deviation. It is only through
adherence to SOP’s that an organization sustains its quality of product and
services and sustains its business growth.
Industrial
establishments, laboratories, commercial business organizations and government
agencies have their own set of standard operating procedures which are based on
organizational requirements but all have one common goal which is to give best
possible service to clients in terms of quality and, time commitments on
deliveries. Let us examine some of the key areas covered by different Standard
Operating Procedures in different groups of organizations.
Manufacturing
industries
- Qualification of vendors for
procurement of raw materials
- Handling, storage and issue of
raw materials to production departments
- Maintenance schedules for
manufacturing equipments and laboratory instruments
- Safety of manufacturing
operations
- Pretreatment of industrial
effluents and waste before disposal
- Policies on withdrawal of
supplies of defective items or products
Laboratories
- Safety of Laboratory operations
- Analytical method validation
- Analyst validation
- Maintenance schedules and
calibration of different test instruments and weighing balances
- Laboratory environment control,
i.e. temperature and humidity
- Qualification of working
standards
- Calibration of glassware
- Handling of customer complaints
- Receipt and distribution of
samples for testing
Commercial
establishments (Banks/Service Centers/Travel business)
- Quality of services
- Time allocation for different
activities including maximum response time to customers
- Processing time for applications
and appeals
- Handling of disputes and client
complaints
Standard
Operating Procedures help establish a benchmark for quality of products
and services. In case of multinational organizations and multi location
establishments SOP’s ensure uniformity of products and services throughout the
locations. This is essential requirement for sustaining customer confidence
both within the country and at the global scale as well
Awareness of
SOP’s of your organization or at least your division is absolutely necessary as
the overall output of your division and organization depends on the role played
by each and every individual.
The
objective of writing this article is to make you realize your responsibilities
and contributions towards your organisation and this is possible only if you
are aware of your organization’s activities, quality policies, ethics through a
sound understanding of your organization’s Standard Operating Procedures.
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