Cleaning/Maintenance Rags Handling and Control
We have microfiber rags that are used by maintenance, sanitation, and production. Production and sanitation are using one color while maintenance is a separate color. I have been noticing operators and mechanics putting the rags in their back pockets and that is how they carry them. I am addressing with production, but maintenance is in disagreement that this poses any sort of food safety issue. I tried to explain that the rag could fall out and potentially end up in the product stream, also it isn't sanitary to be carrying it that way.
Looking for some thoughts and maybe a different perspective on this. Am I taking this too far, or does it not matter?
We have microfiber rags that are used by maintenance, sanitation, and production. Production and sanitation are using one color while maintenance is a separate color. I have been noticing operators and mechanics putting the rags in their back pockets and that is how they carry them. I am addressing with production, but maintenance is in disagreement that this poses any sort of food safety issue. I tried to explain that the rag could fall out and potentially end up in the product stream, also it isn't sanitary to be carrying it that way.
Looking for some thoughts and maybe a different perspective on this. Am I taking this too far, or does it not matter?
Yes, the rags or the wiping clothes are biggest harbor for microbes, in addition to being potential physical hazard. You may introduce following control measures in your system:
1. Include the inspection of the such clothes in the pre operational inspection check sheet for their integrity as well as numbers.
2. Monitor the changing frequency and disposal by making a SOP. (Any kind of moisture is not good for product quality)
3. Make the shopfloor employees more aware about the physical, chemical and biological hazard associated with using the rags again and again (cross contamination) and keeping them in back pockets.
We have microfiber rags that are used by maintenance, sanitation, and production. Production and sanitation are using one color while maintenance is a separate color. I have been noticing operators and mechanics putting the rags in their back pockets and that is how they carry them. I am addressing with production, but maintenance is in disagreement that this poses any sort of food safety issue. I tried to explain that the rag could fall out and potentially end up in the product stream, also it isn't sanitary to be carrying it that way.
Looking for some thoughts and maybe a different perspective on this. Am I taking this too far, or does it not matter?
Get rid of them for production and sanitation. IMO there is no cost effective way to verify or validate the cleaning of the rags. If you are going to go for certification under any of the GSFI schemes you will most likely run into this issue especially if you are RTE product. If you have to use something for wiping use a single us towel.
For maintenance I would have them document / account for them the same way they do for all of there tools that they bring into production. I am making the assumption that once maintenance is done working on the equipment that it is cleaned, sanitized, and verified before it is released back to production. If this is the case, how they carry them is a moot point.
I am not concerned with the actual use of the rags. They are laundered the same way our uniforms are, and testing is done on a monthly basis to ensure that they are clean. I have used the same rags in other facilities that were SQF certified and it was never an issue.
My concern is with how they are being carried. Cleaning/sanitizing is completed post maintenance, but it doesn't change the fact that the rag that the mechanic was using to wipe off the gearbox has been in his back pocket all day. Also the concern of it falling out and potentially into the product zone in the event that they are working overhead. Maybe I'm being too extreme with this - just wanted to see if anyone else is doing anything similar.
Seems to me that this situation is similar to that where a business decides to mandate the changing of uniforms half way thru the day, or mandate the cleaning of boots when coming back into the production facility. If management decide that after careful consideration there is a risk of contamination, then that's it. Management will create a set of rules (in this case part of the cleaning and sanitation PRP for example) which outlines how the risk will be managed.
Sometimes (but not always), the risks have already been identified within a standard. This is fine, but at the end of the day, if those in your business agree that you have a potential Food Safety risk that needs to be managed, then you will manage it.
Push back is not unusual.
Regards
Well, start off with proper issuance of the microfiber rags and have all the staffs accountable by returning the rags issued upon completion of usage. TQ.
I like glove clips...there are a lot of brands & varieties (&colors!) - these are metal detectable -