36 replies to this topic

[Charles.C]

Hi Chris,

 

It's true that BRC do seem to report a lot of construction-related NCs.

 

Maybe there are increasing numbers of smallish, antiquated/converted food manufacturing establishments needing certification. Based on threads in this column such facilities do seem quite common in USA ?  Mom &Pop's Manufacturers ?.

 

Personally, i have always found good "pickings" within the HACCP Validation area. And arguments. 

[sdavies2008]

May auditors state they can always find things in terms of document control and GMP/cleaning opportunities. This seems to be common. I have found it depends on what the auditors experience and past jobs are. If they were sanitation managers then the look deep at cleaning, if they are more into paperwork then you will get non-conformances there.

 

One thing about my company is we have 41 plants and we have a group of auditors so we tend to know where the focus is so can fix at other sites and shame on you if you do not grow on the non-conformances of others.

Sarah

[alvindman]

A beginner in implementation of FSSC and we got HACCP-related findings for both Stage 1 and Stage 2. We shifted from one certifying body to another and they have a lot of differences on how to approach the HACCP principles and documentation.

 

That OPRP or CCP thing? It happened to us. :)

[alvindman]

IFSQN should have a like button too. :)

[pooled]

I'm pleased with the new proposed change in SQF where "...drinking is permissible under conditions that prevent contamination...", since we received a n/c for an empty coffee cup in a trash can inside the facility and should have been disposed of before entering. Was not a concern for contamination.

[foodsafetyAUS]

GMP issues are the most common one.


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[Brendan Triplett]

I got gigged for Seafood HACCP.  I was told I needed a HACCP for vacuum packed smoked fish, just in case we ever receive one.  We never have received one but it is precautionary just in case.  This was a first for me.  Anyone else ever get hit for a possibility of something happening.. maybe.. at some point... in the future 

 

Cheers!

[paulwill10124]

The most common as far as I am concerned is personnel not complying with personal hygiene rules - simple annoying things like not storing boots on boot racks, not wearing hairnets/snoods correctly, not having their overcoat done up properly etc.

 

However, with the shift of emphasis in BRCGS version 9 to developing a food safety culture, I hope that, in time, we will personnel complying with personal hygiene rules not because Technical say they have to but because they know it is the right thing to do and because they want to.  Being the sad old chap that I am, I am looking forward to implementing BRCGS 9 and the food safety culture - it's something I implemented in other places without realising that that's what I was doing.

[Scotty_SQF]

Past several years its been cobwebs...each year we really keep up with it, but low and behold they always seem to find a new place that has cobwebs.

[TimG]

Past several years its been cobwebs...each year we really keep up with it, but low and behold they always seem to find a new place that has cobwebs.

So, I know this post is over a year old but being in an old building now the cobwebs are thing for me too. I have sanitation on a rotating de-webbing, but we can de-web and the cobwebs can be back the next day. I'm still not even sure what's so bad about a spider, it's basically organic pest control. Sure, if the web looks like it's been there weeks and has a bunch of dead bugs in it that's one thing and can be proof you aren't cleaning on a good enough frequency. But a few spiders that just set up shop and have a clean web or 1-2 bugs in it? Is this really a hazard in a warehouse?

[GMO]

So, I know this post is over a year old but being in an old building now the cobwebs are thing for me too. I have sanitation on a rotating de-webbing, but we can de-web and the cobwebs can be back the next day. I'm still not even sure what's so bad about a spider, it's basically organic pest control. Sure, if the web looks like it's been there weeks and has a bunch of dead bugs in it that's one thing and can be proof you aren't cleaning on a good enough frequency. But a few spiders that just set up shop and have a clean web or 1-2 bugs in it? Is this really a hazard in a warehouse?

 

The spiders won't set up home if there aren't flies and can't get in if there aren't gaps or doors left open.  Or loads of areas of fabrication damage.  Or I guess that's what the pest contractor or auditor will say.  A clean web might just mean they've had lunch...

 

But this is spider season in the UK.  I counted 4 in my kitchen earlier and much as you do Tim, I'm not bothered domestically by them.  But I've also audited plenty of warehouses without high level dust and webs and I've audited plenty with them.  I rarely find one with just a single web.  It's normally like a seafood restaurant laden with ornamental nets or you could eat your breakfast off any surface. 

[TimG]

Yes, and spider infestation I can see as a problem. I worked in a chemical plant where the upper level outside my office observation room looked like Shelob had set up shop. That needed to be addressed.

Spider webs near my highest risk areas (bottling, and to a lesser extent processing) sure, we have pre-op inspections specifically for that. A spider web in a window in one of 7 warehouses? ok...