Urgent filter leak tests before shutdown

At one of our clients in the pharmaceutical industry, the coordinating cleanroom engineer unexpectedly fell ill one month before the shutdown, during a particularly busy period. Urgent filter leak tests needed to be conducted, but there was no internal backup available. Advipro was tasked with completing, executing, and coordinating the established shutdown schedule. Our Test Department Supervisor, Ward, explains how we successfully tackled this challenge.

“As part of the shutdown, we had been active at this client for a few years under the leadership of the cleanroom engineer. We were already familiar with the company and their way of working from previous projects. We knew the people and what needed to be tested in each room. That worked in our favor.

An initial shutdown schedule had already been drafted, providing a good foundation. We identified potential issues that could arise during its execution and coordinated with various other parties to ensure the practical implementation of this schedule.

Additionally, we prepared practically for the tests: which rooms to access, where the different air groups were located, and where the controls were situated. We identified our requirements, considered safety measures, and ordered necessary supplies. We made a list and worked systematically: these tasks were completed, these were prepared, and these were outstanding.

When the cleanroom engineer returned part-time after a few weeks due to health reasons, we collaborated to finalize the remaining points of the shutdown until our assistance was no longer needed."

Ward adds, "I found this project challenging. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, requiring me to assess how to best approach things in a new environment and communicate effectively. After a while, you get to know the people and who to approach to get things done. The time pressure was intense, with a fixed start date. It was very satisfying to successfully complete this project."

Our client was also pleased, rating Ward and his team's intervention highly: 4.8/5! Excellent work indeed...