7 replies to this topic

[sweetthang0286]

We recently rearranged walls in our building so now to get to the Production and QC Office you have to go leave production and go through the breakroom. We have a sign that says no smocks allowed in the breakroom. The supervisors are complaining and not abiding by the rule because they run back and forth so much between the office and production. What would your recommendation be as to a fix for this?

Also we recently had an audit (not BRC) and the auditor got us on wearing hair nets outside on break and then reentering the facility without changing them. Is this something that needs to be done for BRC or what options would we have.

Thank you!

[Marshenko]

Offer your supervisors a pink slip if taking 2 seconds to remove their coat is too difficult for them.

[Marshenko]

As far as the hairnets... although I am not familiar with BRC, I am 100% confident in saying that you would get knocked for wearing hairnets outside of the production area without replacing them upon re-entry.

[GMO]

Hmm, tricky. Wearing hairnets in an office would be ok, but wearing hairnets outside in the elements, maybe not. If in doubt, risk assess it...

I notice it's only the production staff not abiding by the rules not the QA lol! Personally I wouldn't have moved the office. Perhaps the answer is to look at the tasks they do in the office and see if you can put a computer station in a suitable fashion in the production area? You can get food safe / waterproof covers for them like this:

http://www.teknomek....-floor-standing

This is what supermarkets are doing in the UK, installing computer terminals in the shop floor to keep their staff out there for a longer time.

[Marshenko]

Hmm, tricky. Wearing hairnets in an office would be ok, but wearing hairnets outside in the elements, maybe not. If in doubt, risk assess it..

Ehh. Then you have to trust that they are only being worn in the office area ... and then how clean is your office area really? How do you know they didn't momentarily peek into another area?

Especially with hairnets... in the grand scheme of things, they are cheap as can be, and its much easier to draw a solid line... at least here

[GMO]

Ehh. Then you have to trust that they are only being worn in the office area ... and then how clean is your office area really? How do you know they didn't momentarily peek into another area?

Especially with hairnets... in the grand scheme of things, they are cheap as can be, and its much easier to draw a solid line... at least here

Yes but it can be argued (as presumably that auditor was) that it is a food safety benefit to keeping your hairnet on. Constantly taking it off and putting one on can lead to hairs being tugged out and also raises the risk of reusing the hairnet which could then result in putting it on inside out (so hairs on the outside...)

[wijit]

Hi.
In terms of supervisors having to go through the breakroom (and assuming there are no issues with allergens etc. for which a suitable risk assessment would be carried out) there should be no issue so long as the individuals are going through without actually stopping to sit and/or eat/drink. The problems would arise only if they are not just "passing though". It maybe the case that some re-wording of the sign in the breakroom would sort that out.

With the hairnets, I'd suggest that upon re-entry they are replaced for the reasons stated above. None of this should be difficult to egt buy in, the safety of the food is the deciding factor here.

[jorgeoaleman]

Like stated in previous post we have the employees wear their hair nets while in offices, hallways, breakrooms, and other authorized parts of facility. We do not allow the use of them outside in the elements. Smocks on the other hand are only used in the production floor and are required to be removed in restrooms and breakrooms.

Jorge