Shorts in production room ?
HI everyone,
i'm new here and not very experienced as technical yet:)
I'm sorry if that topic was already on.
I have a few staff who have refused to sign personal hygiene rules:(. The issue is that they want to wear shorts during summer time.
Previous technical didn't see any issues with that so it was allowed.
But from my point of view it is a foreign body contamination if the hair falls in the product, is it? Also i have concerns relating to health and safety because exposed legs havent got any protection in case of spillage of hot butter.
Also would you allow wearing a watch if it is covered with sleeve?
agness88,
Any such things like wearing shorts or watches cant be allowed in food handling or production area in any case. You cant be everytime sure whether food handlers are following the instructions or guidelines you have given to protect the hazards associated. Its better to be & keep everyone adhere to the GHP norms. Dont look for options, it could be dangerous for your organisation.
Your predecessor did you no favors by allowing shorts. Please read through these threads.
I meant to have a couple of threads, please use the search function at the upper right hand side. Try 'long pants' and 'shorts in food production'
Try to ensure you have senior management on your side before going forth with any new enforcement. Good Luck! ^_^
Also remember that they will whinge & moan and you will be the worst person in the world but don't let them bother you. I'm sure you have lots of friends outside work so you're not looking for friends at work. I don't mean that in a bad way- you can get along with people well at work but ultimately they're not the ones who will have to justify hairy legs to a customer or auditor!
You need to do a risk analysis. How likely is it for a leg hair to get in the product? I have worked in a facility where shorts were permitted and it did not bother me from a quality perspective. Due to the layout of production, exposed areas, etc., it was extremely, extremely unlikely. In my current facility, there is no way I would allow shorts in production based on a much higher risk due to the layout and exposed product.
If you are going to ban shorts, do it with NO exceptions. And if you ban shorts, you should also ban short sleeves. Think about the hair and sweat on arms as well.
I always say the food industry is NOT the fashion industry. Plus uniforms, standard requirements are awesome as it shortens the decision process in the morning of what to wear.
I wonder what Tim Hunt would have to say about women in food processing clothing?