Is Food Safety & Quality Improving in Your Business?
Our objective should be to continually improve food safety and quality performance in our business...so a simple poll with a yes/no answer.
If you voted YES please comment with the reasons 'why'.
If you voted NO please comment with the reasons 'why not'.
Regards,
Simon
I think it's the internal audit process that encourages us to look afresh to see how things can be improved.
Yes because quality is a tool to sell your product.
If the product would sell without this tool this cost-effectiveness is being paid by the safety of the consumer.
This is not the case and therefore we (luckily) need QA.
Without it there would be no market and that's not even concerning laws.
I can honestly say that since being in the position I am our food safety program has improved 100%. I attribute a lot of that to this forum. I get frustrated or can't find something I am looking for, have questions, need advice, whatever, I come on here and someone always knows the answer or has some good advice!
Our upper management is finally coming around and realizing that in order for us to continue to grow, food safety is an integral part of that. Where there was 0 support i am now able to pretty much do what i want and they will support it. A HUGE change from day one. And through our customer base this is showing. We have had 0 complaints in the past 4 months! Well, 1, we delivered a load late due to a scheduling error, but we have had 0 food safety/quality complaints! Our customer base continues to grow at a good rate also. We have been toying with adding a 3rd shift to our production due to this. And it is because of the food safety and quality programs that we are able to do this!
Slowly but surely there is improvement. There has definitely been some push back as before my hire this was the wild west and there wasn't a lot of concern for doing the 'safe' thing. I am starting to see attitude's change. While I am not at the point where I have 100% support for anything I ask I know that we will get there.
I was asked how I put up with all the push back and stayed strong when people didn't agree and I just said that it helps knowing that I am right! Keep fighting the good fight!
Employees don't understand why changes have been implemented and although they have been explained they see their direct supervisors not complying with the rules. Also, senior management (owners of the company) are still stuck in a 'mom & pop' type of mentality although the business has outgrown this feeling.
I just celebrated(?) my one year anniversary at my new company.
Over the last year I have tried to enforce and hammer home the policies and procedures that have already been in place.
Complaints are down, food safety awareness is up.
Production line worker repairs to equipment with cardboard and tape has drastically decreased.
Me: "Why did you put cardboard and tape on this conveyor?"
Employee: "Conveyor has sharp edge, bag no pass"
Me: "Have you told your supervisor or maintenance?"
Employee: "No, I put tape on and it works good"
Me: "Would you like the conveyor to work good without cardboard and tape?"
Employee: "Yes"
Me: "Well, you need to tell your supervisor to submit a work order to get it fixed"
Two weeks later...
Me: "I see there is no cardboard or tape on the conveyor. What happened?"
Employee: "Told supervisor about the problem. Maintenance fixed."
Me: :thumbup:
The next step is to continue the culture change necessary so that everyone, from management on down to the line worker "understands" why it's important that we do things a certain way.
It's the popular "culture change" thing.
Marshall
Most people want to and will do the right thing if they know why, what and how to do it.
Great story Marshall. :clap:
Have a nice day!
Regards,
Simon
I think of where we were 3 or 4 years ago -- yes we have made strides. Last month our Plant Manager thought the HACCP team size should be increased to include 2 more people. And then sometimes we shuffle back a bit [still storing stuff above the product and wondering why it is an issue!!].
But with our 4th SQF audit under our belt - quality issues related to food safety infractions are not even a conversation hardly anymore.
Great news Oronogirl. :thumbup:
My 5th year heading up our GFSI and Food Safety Management System, on our 4th year of SQF Certification, and I can say that I've seen a really staggering improvement in our food safety culture. One thing is, however, that with globalization of the food supply chain sometimes it's honestly two steps forward and one back. Oh well, that's called "job security" I suppose. And I agree with the above sentiment that this forum is the best source of help and inspiration I've found anywhere with respect to food safety and quality!
My 5th year heading up our GFSI and Food Safety Management System, on our 4th year of SQF Certification, and I can say that I've seen a really staggering improvement in our food safety culture. One thing is, however, that with globalization of the food supply chain sometimes it's honestly two steps forward and one back. Oh well, that's called "job security" I suppose. And I agree with the above sentiment that this forum is the best source of help and inspiration I've found anywhere with respect to food safety and quality!
That's great Esquef. It will always be two forward and one back (as long as not the other way around). Food safety and quality is ever changing and we have to adapt. I think quality managers and their ilk are a very special breed, well used to and adept at dealing with change. The most successful ones are also very patient and have a never-say-die attitude.
The results of this poll (however limited) are very encouraging.
Cheers,
Simon
I answered no. Although I have seen an increase in awareness of food safety aspects in our plant over the last couple of years we still see dips in the facility. We just completed our latest BRC audit with a AA score so there are signs. But continuous caring by the plant is still a concern.