5 replies to this topic

[TracyShirley]

Hello! I work for a company that produces packaging materials for food and non-food contact. We do not package anything at the facility. Most of our operations involve printing, laminating, slitting, and converting roll material into bags. I am curious is anyone knows that the requirement is for wearing hairnets and beardnets? I honestly do not see a purpose of wearing them, but I wanted some opinions or if anyone knows of a standard that requires them. I know generally this is based on a risk assessment, but I am having a hard time with it!

Any help would be great!

Thank you!

[Foodworker]

The only packaging standard that I am familiar with is the BRC/IoP and this does not have an absolute requirement for hair and beard covering in food contact packaging manufacture, but says that their use should be based upon a risk assessment. (6.5.6 & 6.5.7)

Some points to consider when making the risk assessment:

Evaluate the severity of the hazard -

What are the bags to be used for - bags for higher risk chilled products may require them as there is a possibility of transferring bacteria with the hair which may be a problem for this type of food. Bags used for ambient foods which may then be heated will have a lower risk as the bacteria should be destroyed and the hair itself is an undesirable physical contaminant and not necessarily a food safety hazard. Take into account toxin formers like Staph. aureus which will be present on the hair.

Evaluate the likelihood of hair becoming entrapped in your products-

How automated is the process? How close to the products do your staff get? it is probable that the likelihood is greater at the conversion and bag making stages rather than at the earlier printing and laminating stages.

Have you had any complaints about hair in your products? Do you have any customers which insist upon them?

The risk assessment is quite likely to demonstrate that they are not required except perhaps at the end of the process.

However, what I would say is that nearly all of the factories that I have visited (UK, Europe and Africa) which make your type of products do wear them

[GMO]

I don't think it's a question of standards / BRC etc, it's a question of your customers. As someone who has bought from primary packaging manufacturers in the past, I would suggest most customers of yours will expect some kind of hair protection. I suspect any loose hairs will easily get drawn into the packaging and held firmly by static.

The cost and hassle factor of hair nets is IMO low so I'd bring it in. The risks are probably moderate and easily controlled. I don't see why you wouldn't.

[George @ Safefood 360°]

GMO and Foodworker have it right. It is down to risk and customer demands. In one consultancy project I was involved in with a company preparing for the BRC/IOP standard, they wore hair nets and snoods. Why? Well not because the BRC standard asked for it but because their customer found hairs in the packaging and had received a complaint from the market. The policy was to wear protective hair nets for food and non-food packaging products since both were made in the same production room on the same moulding machines.

Interestingly the company decided to go with this policy rather than wearing hait nets for food packaging items only since it was easier to control one policy throughout.



George

[Nusa Blagotinsek]

I agee; I am also in converting company and our stuff is using the hairnets, although we havent got the BRC/IOP yet. Hopefully we will go into it in 2014 :-)

[Tony-C]

Hello! I work for a company that produces packaging materials for food and non-food contact. We do not package anything at the facility. Most of our operations involve printing, laminating, slitting, and converting roll material into bags. I am curious is anyone knows that the requirement is for wearing hairnets and beardnets? I honestly do not see a purpose of wearing them, but I wanted some opinions or if anyone knows of a standard that requires them. I know generally this is based on a risk assessment, but I am having a hard time with it!

Any help would be great!

Thank you!

 

Hi Tracy,

 

 

As you have posted in the BRC forum I assume that you are looking to meet the requirements of this standard:

'Based on hazard and risk analysis, all scalp hair shall be fully contained to prevent product contamination'

 

So if there is a risk of hair ending up in final product then the staff should wear hairnets, plus BRC are usually keen on justification if you decide not to follow their requirements.

 

Regards,

 

Tony