Background-Importance of Personnel Hygiene in Food and Beverage Factory
Hand washing stations and boot wash stations for personal hygiene are common in food and beverage factories.
As pointed out by Food Safety Magazine, employees and visitors in food plants are a primary source of potential contamination due to their mobility and direct contact with food products. Poor personal hygiene practices can introduce harmful pathogens, allergens, or other contaminants into the production environment. Therefore, personal cleaning and sanitizing are important and necessary.
Adherence to strict personnel hygiene requirements is mandated by food safety regulations, such as the BRC Global Food Safety Standard.
A quick look at the relationship between BRC and the food industry
The BRC Global Food Safety Standard is a set of requirements and guidelines developed by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) to ensure the production of safe, legal, and high-quality food and consumer products. It was first introduced in 1998 and has since become one of the most widely adopted food safety certification schemes globally.
The BRC Global Food Safety Standard is primarily aimed at food and beverage manufacturing facilities, including those that produce, process, pack, and/or store food products.
Many major retailers, wholesalers, and food service operators require their food and beverage suppliers to be BRC-certified, making it a de facto standard for a large portion of the food industry.
Specific requirements for personal hygiene in BRC
The BRC Global Food Safety Standard places a strong emphasis on personal hand and footwear hygiene requirements for food and beverage manufacturing facilities. Let’s review the specific details of these requirements:
Hand Hygiene Requirements:
- Hand Washing Facilities:
– Adequate numbers of suitably located hand washing facilities must be provided, with running hot and cold (or appropriately tempered) water.
– Hand washing facilities must be supplied with liquid soap, single-use towels, and a means of hygienically drying hands (e.g., paper towels or hand dryers).
Our hand washing machines are designed to meet these requirements. This machine integrates hand washing, hand drying, and hand disinfection so that employees can wash hands, dry hands, and sanitize their hands in one facility. What’s more, it has a built-in sensor and the decontamination process is contactless, avoiding the risk of cross-infection.
- Hand Washing Procedures:
– Employees must wash and sanitize their hands at appropriate times, including:
– Before starting work
– After breaks
– After using the toilet
– After handling any contaminated material
– Whenever hands become contaminated
So the hand washing stations would widely be used in different areas of food and beverage factories.
- Hand Sanitizers:
– Hand sanitizers may be used as an additional measure, but cannot replace regular hand washing.
– Hand sanitizers must be available at key locations, such as entrances to production areas.
Hands cleaning and sanitizing facilities washing stations to meet the requirements.
Footwear Hygiene Requirements:
- Dedicated Footwear:
– Employees must wear dedicated, washable footwear that is appropriate for the production environment.
– Outdoor shoes must not be worn in production areas.
- Footwear Cleaning and Sanitization:
– Footwear must be cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis, typically at the start of each shift.
– Footbaths, boot washers, or other cleaning stations must be provided at strategic locations, such as entrances to production areas.
- Footwear Inspection and Maintenance:
– Footwear must be maintained in good condition, with any damage or wear addressed promptly.
– Employees must inspect their footwear regularly and report any issues to their supervisors.
- Visitor and Contractor Footwear:
– Visitors and contractors must comply with the facility’s footwear hygiene requirements, either by wearing dedicated on-site footwear or ensuring their footwear is cleaned and sanitized before entering production areas.
To meet this requirement, we have the shoe and boot wash station the sole, and the whole workboot.
In addition, we also have hygiene stations in which employees can finish the cleaning and sanitizing of their hands and boots in one facility. It is widely put in the changing room before entering the workshop of food and beverage factories.
By prioritizing safety and hygiene, especially through robust personnel hygiene protocols, food manufacturers can significantly reduce the likelihood of contamination, protect consumer health, and maintain compliance with regulatory standards. This holistic approach to food safety is essential for ensuring the production of safe, high-quality food products.
