Please tell us about Modality Solutions and your role at the company?
Modality Solutions is an engineering services company that integrates cold chain management systems to ensure regulatory compliance, product quality, and patient safety. We combine best practices of process validation, systems qualification and risk assessment with the technology solutions for monitoring, controls, and packaging. My role is to provide expertise in risk management, auditing and assessment, and process improvement. In addition, I lead our work in supply chain security for both fixed and rolling assets. Our approach is holistic: supply chain security is an integral part of supply chain integrity, which is then a key element of an integrated, successful cold chain system.
What qualifications do you bring to your work in supply chain integrity?
I worked in the chemical process industry for 18 years, where safety and security were always important issues. After 9/11, awareness regarding the risk to fixed chemical manufacturing sites and rolling assets (rail cars, trailers, etc.) climbed dramatically. Let’s face it, if a dedicated group of terrorists would take control of a plane and fly it into a building, why wouldn’t they take control of a large supply of highly hazardous chemicals and use them? I developed and applied engineering tools and techniques in the accelerated effort to harden fixed facilities against terrorist attack and improve security and tracking of rolling stock. In addition to my work applying state-of-theart engineering techniques in this effort, I’ve spent the last eight years as a reserve peace officer in Texas.
Do you have some takeaways our readers can use to improve their supply chain security?
I like the four D’s of physical security—deter, deny, detect, and delay. The goal of deterrence is to ensure that security is robust and visible. If a potential threat sees well maintained fencing and lighting, alert security employees, and hardened doors, they’re much more likely to move on to an easier mark. ‘Denial’ is geared towards preventing the threat from achieving their objective. Look for weak points. A steel reinforced cement wall with an unlocked door doesn’t ‘deny’ anything. Tool storage can also be an issue. I’ve seen facilities where maintenance contractors stored their tools outside the facility. A threat can use power tools, welders, and ladders to breach your security. Deny them the tools. Detection of a threat allows a timely response to any incident. Detection isn’t just for the actual break-in. Even for a reasonably secure warehouse, the threat will have to observe the facility to develop a plan. Make sure your employees are alert for suspicious persons or vehicles in or around the facility. This applies especially to security personnel, but all employees play a role. ‘Delay’ is part of your security plan when denial isn’t possible. Hardening of the facility slows the threat, giving time for response. As an additional word of caution, individuals and groups attempting to break into a secure warehouse can be very dangerous. Once an incident is in progress, local law enforcement first responders will be a key part of the response.
That’s part of what you do as a peace officer, isn’t it? What can our readers do to improve coordination with local law enforcement?
Local law enforcement patrol officers will be first on the scene. Before any incident occurs, I suggest contacting the responding law enforcement agency for your facility and ask to speak to the patrol commander. Introduce yourself and explain that you want to provide information to his or her officers to improve their safety and ability to respond to an incident at your facility. Arrange times and dates to have the officers visit your facility, and provide refreshments! It’s a great help to the patrol officers if they understand the basic layout of the facility, how to enter and maneuver around, the entrances and exits, etc. If an incident were to occur, they’ll be prepared, and you’ll get a better, faster response.
We’ve talked about fixed sites, can you discuss improving in-transit security?
We can apply the same four D’s to improve security of rolling equipment. One important item of note is that when a truck is actually moving, it’s a very hard target. The great majority of thefts from trucks occur when they stop. To minimize the risk of theft in transit, training truck drivers about the fundamentals of safety and security is one of your best investments. Deterrence and denial include administrative requirements like no stops within a certain distance of the pickup location, never leave the tractor unattended and running, and use of hardened locks. Detection can include alarms and monitoring, (such as those provided by LoJack SCI), as well as good situational awareness from the driver. Use of a tracking technology can greatly improve local law enforcement response. Good descriptions of the trailer and tractor are critical to timely intervention of the theft. If all your employees can get in the habit of thinking through the four D’s as part of their daily work routine, you’ll improve your security.
Can you touch on some engineering tools that you apply to supply chain integrity?
A good audit survey is an important tool for supply chain integrity. The audit tool from rX-360 is a solid one. The quality of an audit is driven by the knowledge of the auditor; be certain your auditors are knowledgeable. risk assessments are also a critical engineering tool for supply chain integrity. Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) can be used, as it’s a fairly generic technique. For a risk assessment that covers all potential hazards in a supply chain including security/integrity, I prefer Hazard and Operability Analysis (HAZOP). For an assessment that is specifi cally for supply chain integrity, I would recommend Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) or Security Vulnerability Assessment (SVA). We use all of them as needed for our customers.
Any other thoughts for our readers?
I just want to reiterate the importance of an integrated approach to management of your supply chain. Use a risk-based approach to identify the hazards in your process, and then implement good quality management systems to address the potential hazards. We focused today on supply chain security. Be sure your processes also address potential supply chain integrity hazards like diversion and counterfeiting. And don’t neglect environmental hazards in storage and distribution such as temperature, shock, vibration, humidity, and pressure.
How can our readers find out more about Modality Solutions and its offerings?
They can get more information by visiting our website: www.modalitysolutions.com. Readers can also e-mail me directly with any specific questions: [email protected].
Daniel J. Littlefield holds a B.S. and Masters in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University. He is a Six Sigma Master Black Belt, LEAN Practitioner and Texas Reserve Peace Officer.