What is Needle Transfer Safe Box or Best Sewing Box?

Best Sewing Box

Best Sewing Box, this will be used to transfer used and broken needles from the lien to the Tools and Sharps distribution room. To be introduced. To make sure that all metal equipment such as needles, hand sewing needles, kimball guns, scissors, snips, pins, etc. is held under control during the manufacturing processes and that all products manufactured for Buyer do not contain any hazardous metal materials that could harm the customers. This procedure is applicable to all our ready-to-wear suppliers.

Procedure of Best Sewing Box

• All sharps and needles are stored in the secured Needle distribution room within the maintenance room within each manufacturing facility.
• The central needle stock warehouse will distribute replenishment stock to each Needle Distribution room every 7 days.
• Start of each work week the “Custodian” will count the starting stock before any issuance to ensure accuracy.
• The Needles will be placed into its respective colour coded section in the box. The allocation slot will be the same for each distribution box.
• The Issuance record sheet shall be updated and crossed check to ensure accuracy prior to distribution.
• Normal needle change. The Custodian will only distribute new needles to a Line Supervisor (Line Leader) in exchange for the following:
• Regular needle change
• Bent needle
• New style layout
• The supervisor will use the Needle transfer safe box to transport needles from the lines to the tools and Sharps distribution room. The box can hold more than one needle; the box is divided into a pre numbered section, the individual section will ensure integrity of different type needles or broken needle fragments.
• For exchange needles the custodian will take receipt of the old needle, tape onto the used needle log sheet (QAUNCL0001) and issue a new needle. Ensuring a signature/ID is place in the appropriate space on the form.

Broken needle procedure

• The supervisor (Line leader) will take the needle fragments to the custodian for checking against the correct Needle reference card
• If all needles fragments are intact then the custodian will attach the fragments to the Broken Needle Control sheet  The supervisor (Line leader) will receive the new needle; place it in the Needle transfer safe box, then sign the Broken Needle Control sheet .
• In cases of missing fragments the supervisor (Line leader) will check product within 1 meter of the machine (Left – Right – Front – back) using a hand held metal detector.
• Using the retractable magnet check the same 1 meter radius of the machine. Including the sewing area and oil pan for any fragments.
• The supervisor (Line leader) will take the fragments in the Needle transfer safe box and hand them over to the custodian. The custodian will attach the fragments to the Broken Needle Control sheet . The supervisor (Line leader) will receive the new needle; place it in the needle transfer safe box, then sign the Broken Needle Control sheet .
• The Missing needle check list procedure will be followed: step #1 through to #5
• #1 Check all areas and machine including the garments in the area (1 meter radiu
• #2 Identify whether fragment found or not (move to #3) If found the needle will be issued, the garments will be returned to the sewing line.
• #3 If not found all garments from the workstation will be sent to the metal detection machine and checked one by one.
• #4 If still not found it will go for signature of the PM/APM. The full piece/bundle will be placed inside the Needle transfer safe box, placed by the metal detection room and a log book record kept
• #5 Once 1 – 4 has been completed, the Compliance and QA must sign off the incident then only will the new needle be replenished.
• Dependent on buyer requirement: Target request 5 year retention, thus Hop Lun BD will follow 5 year rule.

Responsible Parties

Suppliers: The suppliers are bound to comply with all the conditions stated in this       memorandum and take necessary precautions in the light of warnings provided.

Buyer Auditors: Buyer auditors will pay random visits to the suppliers to make sure that the suppliers comply with all the conditions stated in this procedure.

General requirements

• The equipment that has been given to the operators by the Department Supervisors should be attached to work benches to stop accidental loss.
• The supervisors must check equipment periodically and withdraw any equipment found not fit for purose.
• Only the supervisors or nominated personnel can issue replacement needles, or equipment. Spare needles, kimball guns, scissors are not allowed at the work station.
• The supervisors should keep the metal equipment in secured and locked cabinets. The cabinets are always locked and keys are kept only by the supervisors or a nominated employee.

Metal Contamination

• Mechanics/operators should pay extra attention to ensure that tools or instruments do not get lost in garments.
• Staples ust not be used in any operation or in the sewing room.
• Pins must not be used in the packaging of any product.
• Razors must not be used as cutters. If cutting of this type is needed, a modeling knife/scalpel with a secure blade must be used.
• Scissors and clippers should be tied to the workplace to prevent potential loss within a product. If it is not possible to tie them, then they should be logged in/out at the beginning/end of each shift.
• Personal items such as keys, hairgrips, jewellery, etc. cannot be placed on/near machines or/and tables.
• If a metal contamination product is found to be contaminated with metal fragments and the metal cannot be found after thorough inspection, then the product must be placed in a sealed locked container labeled Contaminated Stock by the Department Supervisors, and recorded in the Metal Detected Stock Sheet.

Application Of The Broken Needle Policy

• All needles must be accounted for in all operations of the manufacturing process. This is ensured with the implementation of the Needle Change Report.
• Whenever a needle break occurs, every effort must be made to recover all of the broken pieces before the manufacturing starts again and the products move onto the next process. Needle parts need to be checked against a profile or new complete needle to ensure that all parts are found.
• If a needle breaks during a manufacturing process, machine operator should stop working and inform the Department Supervisor. The incident should be recorded with all relevant information on the Broken Needle Report and all parts of the broken needle should be collected immediately and affixed on the report with a large, transparent adhesive tape.
• If all parts of a broken needle are not found, then the products on which the operator is working, and any others in close proximity to the machine and workspace must be checked. If all parts are still not found, all products must be removed and packed into a polybag and passed through the metal detector in order to isolate any products containing metal fragments. These products must be thoroughly examined in a quarantined area until the missing needle parts are found. This must be recorded in the Metal Detected Stock Sheet. If, for any reason, all parts of the needle cannot be found, the products need to be put into a sealed locked container labeled Contaminated Stock and must be recorded in the Metal Detected Stock Sheet accordingly.
• New needle can only be attached to the machine when the broken needle is found and accounted for. Then the machine operator can continue working.
• Broken Needle Reports must be kept for a minimum of three years, and there after disposed off in sealed containers. Buyer Auditors will check these reports randomly.

Conclusion

• The Tools and Sharps distribution room must be completely locked at all times of Needle transfer safe box
• The custodian is the only authorized person to enter the room.
• Exception internal audits or Buyer audit
• Compliance department is responsible to ensure all aspects of the procedure are being followed through continuous audit.
• The Custodian directly reports to the maintenance manager and functionally to the QA manager
• The GM will follow up on the audits of the Metal free policies, one a month
• The GM will ensure that all staff will be trained with reference to the Metal free policies
• Organizational chart for Best Sewing Box tools distribution room.

Jack and Jones, Kimber Sewing Machine Ltd., Africa