58 replies to this topic

[DebD]

Just wanted to add a big THANKYOU to everyone who posted on this one, It has been a huge help to know we are not alone in the fight against "But I don't see why I can't ......" for all the things we hoped were common sense!

[Carlos Leoncini]

This has got me so mad that i have to get other like minded peoples thoughts, or is it just me being over the top.
I'm a QA Manager in a small potato packing factory, we don't grow the potatoes we bring them in, wash them, grade them, package them and despatch.

The boss brought his wife for a visit today, nothing wrong with that i hear you say, but she didn't come alone, she brought the family dog with her, and thought nothing of taking it for a walk around the building inside and out. I voiced my concerns to my boss (whose wife, dog and business it is) he didn't think there was a problem, tried again to explain how wrong it was, his response 'my dog, my factory'.

Believe it or not we are BRC accredited, mainly down to my hard work (if i do say so myself) most of the time i feel i'm here just to pacify the customers and to get the blame when it all goes wrong

So my question is am i being over zealous with regards to the mut, i have a dog myself but wouldn't dream of bringing him to work

Good morning. I passed through a similar situation some years ago in a Factory that used to manufacture CO2 gas used as an ingredient in soft drink industry. You know that in these types of factories the product goes in pipes and pressurized tanks, you never really see the product. Anyway, the plant has to look for GMP all over the facility, especially in manufacturing areas. That was when I saw a dog wagging around the equipment. As an auditor, I asked the tour guy how is it that a dog happened to be there??. He responded in a funny way, saying that was part of the security program. I decided to respond in a funny way too: “so that dog has no helmet or any other protection, so that is a clear deviation to your security program”. He understood and immediately took a corrective action. The moral around this story is that sometimes humor is a good strategy to manage obvious situations, especially when you have to deal with small organization owners.

[cbernard]

I would point out to the boss that getting away with something like a dog on the premises is not necessarily getting away with it for the long term. I would point out that the message sent to the employees is one that the rules are situational and that any employee could 'turn him in' at any time for an incident of having a dog on the premises.

[Simon]

A friend sent me the attached photo taken in a noodle factory in China! Spot the foreign body!!

 pooch.jpg   154.39KB   33 downloads

[Madam A. D-tor]

When reading through the thread I wanted to know why a dog is bad. Of course it's obvious in all standards and regulations animals should not be allowed on food premises, that's the rules, but why is it the rule? Is it because they are big and hairy (I'm big and hairy), OK I'm toilet trained, but apart from that I'm quite undistinguishable from a dog.

What pooch related hazards fall out of the risk assessment for this product / process? Those facts should provide the why’s, which develops understanding, that sometimes changes mindsets and behavior. Sometimes.

Regards,
Simon

How will you ever get a hairnet around the dog/cat/animal in a way that all hair is fully contained (as required by the standards)?
 dog with hairnet 2.jpg   99.04KB   34 downloads  dog with hairnet 3.jpg   87.83KB   52 downloads  dog with hairnet 4.jpg   20.3KB   41 downloads  dog with hairnet 5.jpg   16.92KB   45 downloads  cat with hairnet 1.jpg   33.64KB   39 downloads  cat with hairnet 2.jpg   60.92KB   33 downloads

Edited by Madam A. D-tor, 23 March 2011 - 09:47 PM.

[MOOCHIE]

How will you ever get a hairnet around the dog/cat/animal in a way that all hair is fully contained (as required by the standards)?
 dog with hairnet 2.jpg   99.04KB   34 downloads  dog with hairnet 3.jpg   87.83KB   52 downloads  dog with hairnet 4.jpg   20.3KB   41 downloads  dog with hairnet 5.jpg   16.92KB   45 downloads  cat with hairnet 1.jpg   33.64KB   39 downloads  cat with hairnet 2.jpg   60.92KB   33 downloads

Love it, certainly put a smile on my face,
not so much on my bosses when i showed him the pictures

[GMO]

The beard snood one LMAO

[MQA]

How will you ever get a hairnet around the dog/cat/animal in a way that all hair is fully contained (as required by the standards)?
 dog with hairnet 2.jpg   99.04KB   34 downloads  dog with hairnet 3.jpg   87.83KB   52 downloads  dog with hairnet 4.jpg   20.3KB   41 downloads  dog with hairnet 5.jpg   16.92KB   45 downloads  cat with hairnet 1.jpg   33.64KB   39 downloads  cat with hairnet 2.jpg   60.92KB   33 downloads

Gold. Thank you, Madam A. D-tor for the laughs.

[MKRMS]

Moochie,

I would put a copy of Regulation (EU) 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs on your boss' desk together with a note explaining the term 'food business operator'. If there is national legislation available that regulates the application of this EU law in the UK which mentions possible fines, why not have him read that as well. He'll hopefully get the idea fairly quickly that it is HIM (or him and his fellow Directors) who is ultimately responsible (and will be prosecuted) if anything goes wrong in HIS business. The fact he hired you does not vindicate him from his ultimate responsibility.
Alternatively: offer food legislation training for managers and executives. Use the excuse of building senior management competency and commitment for company food safety processes, which is required by ISO 22,000 and also by BRC, to get them to attend and to educate the leaders about their personal responsibilities.

Greetings,
MKRMS