Implementation of a glass policy in food processing plant

Dear Sir,

What is glass policy? How can i implement glass policy in food processing plant. What set of documents are required?

1) A map of all glass and hard plastic in production or storage areas.
2) A risk assessment that determines the frequency the condition of the item of glass or hard plastic is checked to ensure no missing pieces!
3) A register listing all of the items with ticks or crosses to be added, depending on condition, to be completed in line with the outcome of number 2.
4) A policy of what do to inthe event of a missing piece/item or in the case of shattered glass in an area.
5) A certificate which is signed by a Manager/responsible person to ensure that in the event of broken glass, contaminated items, Pallets, garments, boots, area etc are decontaminated/disposed of and allowing processing to start up again!

Hope this helps for starters!

Don't forget regular audits of the facility to check that all items on the glass/brittle plastic/ceramics register are in place and unbroken. Monthy intervals have been strongly recommended, and preferably done by your company's Food Safety Committee.

A daily Pre-Operation checkist (performed at the beginning of each shift if possible) also strenthens your committment to your glass/brittle plastics/ceramics policy.

Just to add some generic, high-level advice to the (far more useful) information provided above.

 

The Glass Policy and associated procedures should be taken very seriously in a food manufacturing environment. It shouldn't be just considered a documentation exercise - the effectiveness of a glass policy is not in the measures described but in the efforts and focus to control and monitor glass usage in the production environment.

 

To give an example, our company has a long-standing glass policy & breakages procedure which was updated relatively recently. However, without us really noticing, an element of complacency had creeped in. We recently experienced (suffered?) an audit with a major customer, where a glass breakage occurred on a line with the auditors present. Our response to this incident did not fill them with confidence to put it mildly...

Or, to put it another way (which only occurred to e after I posted the previous post!) you probably cannot be too over cautious in your customers eyes in terms of controlling glass!!!