8 replies to this topic

[Lazlo]

Hello,

 

I am currently working on the maintenance procedure part of the BRC standards. I was working on the forklift maintenance section and I was wondering if it is required to have a MSDS sheet for the battery acid (HCl) that is in the battery in the forklift since that is a chemical in the facility and can pose a food threat. I am wondering how other companies have dealt with this. Do you lock the forklift so only one person is in charge of maintenance? Let me know and thank you for your responses.

 

 

[azaam nafiz]

Hi Lazo,

 

Yes we used to have MSDS for them, also the chemicals are stored in a separate lockable area equipped with an eye washing station.

Further non marking tires are recommended for forklifts in food industry

 

azaam

[Lazlo]

Hello Thank you for your response!

 

So you stored the batteries for the forklifts in a chemcial control closet? Also in order to maintain internal food defense aka in the event an angry employee took the battery acid from the battery of the forklift and placed it in our food perhaps, did you lock your forklift top?

[Charles.C]

Dear Lazlo,

 

So what is the risk that yr fork lift batteries may contaminate the product / environment ?

 

Do you have a lot of angry employees ?

 

Rgds / Charles.C

[Lazlo]

Haha no we don't have angry employees. We are just trying think of all possibly potential threats to our food. Do other people think about these potential threats?

[Barrie@RJT]

Not to that extent!!  Having said that, it's the mindset we're forced into by going down the BRC (or other system) plug hole of ever-decreasing circles......

[Lazlo]

So is this something I should be concerned about? Or should I be okay by BRC standards if its not part of our safety protocol to lock our forklifts.

[isabelle campbell]

I work in a BRC certified facility that has have one electric forklift that uses a battery in our warehouse.  Cleanliness and regular documented inspection/maintenance of the vehicle are the only things our auditors have ever questioned.  Having an msds for the battery is something I will undertake (thanks for the suggestion!) but while the battery cells are topped up quarterly, we do not remove the battery for storage.  At 1200 to 1500lb of assembly that sounds like a health and safety nightmare.  I'd imagine there is more risk to product in messing with it than just leaving it intact!

[Lazlo]

Perfect! thank you for your response