A segregated batch of material or products held from normal flow until quality disposition is completed.
Quarantine lots prevent suspect material from being mixed with approved inventory and shipped by mistake.
They are a common containment action when defects are detected.
Control requirements
Lots in quarantine must be physically and digitally identified with clear status, owner, and disposition path.
Weak quarantine controls lead to accidental use of nonconforming material and repeated escapes.
Disposition outcomes
After review, lots are typically released, reworked, downgraded, returned, or scrapped with documented approvals.
Disposition should be linked to nonconformance reports for full traceability.
Key takeaways
- Quarantine lots isolate risk while teams investigate quality issues.
- Strong identification and disposition controls are essential.