SQF 11.10.1, version 7.1

The guidance document for SQF version 7.1 states:

"High vehicle traffic areas are also required to be effectively sealed to prevent dusty conditions"

and

"Where employee amenities are external to the site, the access to the amenities must be sealed, and should be covered to allow for weather conditions"

 

My main question:

We currently have a gravel driveway and employee parking area. Trucks use the same driveways. Does this mean that we would need to pave our driveways and parking areas?

 

Also, a smoking area provided for the employees would need to be covered?

 

Thanks in advance. This could be a deal-breaker and I have a consultant coming in NEXT WEEK. Don't want to waste money with a consultant if we would be required to pave the parking area. That is money we have not accounted for in the overall budget.

 

Since we once got a minor for the condition of our parking and driveway areas ( a small, uneven dip that allowed for water to accumulate) I am going to say, yes, you need to have at least the areas close to the building sealed.

The guidance document for SQF version 7.1 states:
"High vehicle traffic areas are also required to be effectively sealed to prevent dusty conditions"
and
"Where employee amenities are external to the site, the access to the amenities must be sealed, and should be covered to allow for weather conditions"
 
My main question:
We currently have a gravel driveway and employee parking area. Trucks use the same driveways. Does this mean that we would need to pave our driveways and parking areas?
 
Also, a smoking area provided for the employees would need to be covered?
 
Thanks in advance. This could be a deal-breaker and I have a consultant coming in NEXT WEEK. Don't want to waste money with a consultant if we would be required to pave the parking area. That is money we have not accounted for in the overall budget.

 
"High vehicle traffic areas are also required to be effectively sealed to prevent dusty conditions" Question... is the gravel driveway creating dust that could contaminate your food? If not this would certainly be a minor non-conformance at most.
 
"Where employee amenities are external to the site, the access to the amenities must be sealed, and should be covered to allow for weather conditions" Question... are the employees required to walk across an unpaved area and smoke in the rain? If so your company should pave the walkway and cover the smoking area or not allow smoking on site.
 
I think these two issues will be way down on the list of "deal breakers", a few thousand dollars to have a consultant give you the entire list of deal breakers is money well spent.  :-)
 
Hope that helps,
Phil

The guidance document for SQF version 7.1 states:

"High vehicle traffic areas are also required to be effectively sealed to prevent dusty conditions"

and

"Where employee amenities are external to the site, the access to the amenities must be sealed, and should be covered to allow for weather conditions"

 

My main question:

We currently have a gravel driveway and employee parking area. Trucks use the same driveways. Does this mean that we would need to pave our driveways and parking areas?

 

Also, a smoking area provided for the employees would need to be covered?

 

Thanks in advance. This could be a deal-breaker and I have a consultant coming in NEXT WEEK. Don't want to waste money with a consultant if we would be required to pave the parking area. That is money we have not accounted for in the overall budget.

 

Hi Lacey,

 

I think Phil has covered the first item 'Question... is the gravel driveway creating dust that could contaminate your food? If not this would certainly be a minor non-conformance at most'

Regarding your smoking area, if employees are removing their protective clothing as they should then I don't see that this needs to be covered, however, it wouldn't hurt to cover it as employees aren't going to be happy standing in the rain for a smoke.

Smoking areas generally aren't sealed (for ventilation) and should be away from the production facility anyway.

 

Regards,

 

Tony

If you go back and review the standard again it talks about "dusty" conditions... so my question is - based on your exterior area where the gravel paths and parking is located is there a dust situation - seriously go look at it during dry high traffic times and look to see what effect that has on your entryways and product, personnel tracking dust in, etc.

 

I worked with one company that had a major dust problem and it was highly suggested that they put pavement in and they did. But then another company had gravel yet did not have a dust issue - thus no paving put down, even though eventually they did pave the lot and pathways as they got tired of having to level off.

 

As to the smoking area, you really have two choices - eliminate smoking entirely from the site like many companies have done, cover it up (the key word is "should" meaning not required) or leave the top off. I'm working with a company now that decided to do away with the smoking area completely.  That takes care of that.