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Hairnet VS. Hard hat

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Gilles

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 09:39 AM

Hello all,

 

We have a discussion with a (small) customer of ours who audited us last week.

This is regarding hairnets.

 

I work at a seed and kernel cleaning and packing facility. Almost all processes are automated and nowhere in the process employees come in contact with the product or stand above it.

 

Some years ago we had an incident and sinds then employees and visitors must wear hard hats (see picture) These hard hats have replaced the hairnets because:

·         The product is fully cleaned by us, and because there is no direct contact the chance is very slim that a hair comes in contact with the product

·         The hard hat covers like 80% of the hair and all of our employees (4) have short or no hair

·         Hard hat and hairnet where uncomfortable and where the cause of very sweaty heads

·         There is no food safety risk regarding hair.

 

Because we want to make it as easy and comfortable for our employees as possible we scraped the hairnet.

Furthermore we have never had a complaint that hair was found in the product

 

Our customer want us to wear hairnets because it is in their standard. If there is every a lousy reason, in my opinion, to do something it is simply because it’s in the standard, even if it’s like in the BRC standard or something.

 

Now I want to arm myself as much as possible for the this audit and the coming audit because I think this will come up more often.

 

What do you think?

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Dr Vu

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 11:23 AM

 Hi Dongilles

 

 its probably one of those fights you wont win.. the best approach is wear the hairnet under the hard hat.

 

Most customers prescribe what they want or they will walk and you realize you will spend time fighting them when you can be moving to other things.  other approach you can try is wear the hairnet on the day you produce their products.? if they can accept that.

 

My previous job i was wearing both (hairnet and hard hat) - hot or cold .


A vu in time , saves nine

KTD

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 02:26 PM

Hi Dongilles

 

Dr Vu is right, you probably won't win this fight. If they are pushing it only because it is a BRC requirement, one option you might try is to conduct and document a Risk Assessment. You have a fair outline in your discussion above. I would include pounds produced without a hair complaint (might be able to do a FEMA analysis). Arguing that it is not a food hazard isn't too powerful, people freak out about the presence of hair...

 

 

KTD



InventoSteve

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 03:19 PM

Hello.  Were your employees wearing the hairnet under or over the hard hats?  With that style they'd probably be more comfortable wearing it over the hard hat.



Agent_Kev

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 04:14 PM

Even though you wear a hard hat that replaces a hairnet it is still more sanitary to wear a hairnet and a hard hat. Additional if it is a part of the BRC it will probably be very hard to argue against. Even though you may not come in contact with product it is still more sanitary to wear a hairnet and a helmet to lower the chance of contamination from human sources.



CMHeywood

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 06:36 PM

I work for a company that makes flexible plastic packaging films for food products.  Everyone in production areas must wear a hairnet, even if they do not come in direct contact with the product.  An example would be fork truck drivers.  We want to avoid hair falling onto pallets, machine parts, etc. and then getting into the product.

 

Anyone doing work in a production area that has to wear a hard hat has to wear a hairnet underneath.



Glenn

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 06:52 PM

Hairnets are a reminder for everyone product safety is important. A collective set of rules that everybody, meaning line employees', managers, contractors, customers, that entering this area must wear.  Has little to do with if you have hair or not, it is a reminder that we have rules to be followed by everyone.  It help make the other rules easier to followed because you have the horse headed in the right direction. It is the one clear and present symbol a person has entered or work in a product safety area. If a person skips the basic foundation then a troubled house will follow.



Gilles

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Posted 18 October 2016 - 06:56 AM

Thanks for all the replies!

 

 

 Hi Dongilles

 

 its probably one of those fights you wont win.. the best approach is wear the hairnet under the hard hat.

 

Most customers prescribe what they want or they will walk and you realize you will spend time fighting them when you can be moving to other things.  other approach you can try is wear the hairnet on the day you produce their products.? if they can accept that.

 

My previous job i was wearing both (hairnet and hard hat) - hot or cold .

I know we will be fighting it every audit but thats part of the fun of the job. we know it there is no risk of hair in the product and our methode works just as well as a hairnet so I am willing to fight for it.

 

 

Hi Dongilles

 

Dr Vu is right, you probably won't win this fight. If they are pushing it only because it is a BRC requirement, one option you might try is to conduct and document a Risk Assessment. You have a fair outline in your discussion above. I would include pounds produced without a hair complaint (might be able to do a FEMA analysis). Arguing that it is not a food hazard isn't too powerful, people freak out about the presence of hair...

 

 

KTD

Thanks for the tip! I will look into the FEMA analysis

 

 

 

Hello.  Were your employees wearing the hairnet under or over the hard hats?  With that style they'd probably be more comfortable wearing it over the hard hat.

Under the hats, never thought of wearing them over the hats. If we get the non-conformity in our BRC audit or a big customer this is something to think about.

 

 

Even though you wear a hard hat that replaces a hairnet it is still more sanitary to wear a hairnet and a hard hat. Additional if it is a part of the BRC it will probably be very hard to argue against. Even though you may not come in contact with product it is still more sanitary to wear a hairnet and a helmet to lower the chance of contamination from human sources.

What are the sanitary problem with hair? In my eyes its one a quality risk, customers do not like to see the hairs. Are there actual health reasons?

 

 

I work for a company that makes flexible plastic packaging films for food products.  Everyone in production areas must wear a hairnet, even if they do not come in direct contact with the product.  An example would be fork truck drivers.  We want to avoid hair falling onto pallets, machine parts, etc. and then getting into the product.

 

Anyone doing work in a production area that has to wear a hard hat has to wear a hairnet underneath.

With our hardhats we never had hair in our product, never had a complaint.

 

If you check how seeds and kernels are harvested in China, India etc. there a alot more problems to worry about then hair on a pallet.

 

Hairnets are a reminder for everyone product safety is important. A collective set of rules that everybody, meaning line employees', managers, contractors, customers, that entering this area must wear.  Has little to do with if you have hair or not, it is a reminder that we have rules to be followed by everyone.  It help make the other rules easier to followed because you have the horse headed in the right direction. It is the one clear and present symbol a person has entered or work in a product safety area. If a person skips the basic foundation then a troubled house will follow.

the hard hats are for food safety and work safety, everyone who enters the production needs to wear it. So this is not the problem.



SQFconsultant

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Posted 18 October 2016 - 01:17 PM

On-site today consulting with a company -  hairnets on the head, bump cap on top of that.  As to sweaty head, get vented bump caps.


All the Best,

 

All Rights Reserved,

Without Prejudice,

Glenn Oster.

Glenn Oster Consulting, LLC -

SQF System Development | Internal Auditor Training | eConsultant

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http://www.GCEMVI.XYZ

http://www.GlennOster.com

 




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