4 replies to this topic

[Quality & Food Safety]

Hello Everyone,

 

I have read quite a few articles on here regarding the use of baseball caps on the production floor. We develop flexible material for both food and non-food contact items, to create a more in depth picture there is certain areas in which you MUST wear hair nets and beard guards. However, a lot of the staff in the non hair net areas would prefer to wear baseball caps. 

What is everyone's opinion on the matter?

As a reasonable option to deal with this while maintaining the happiness of those involved, I propose a laundering schedule for the caps on the same schedule as our uniforms with our 3rd party service and, the caps  must never leave the building. These caps shall be treated 100% as part of the uniform. 

 

I look forward to your responses on the matter. d

 

 

 

[FurFarmandFork]

I allow beanies and do-rags in place of hairnets since they do well containing hair all the way to the hairline, but require hairnets underneath baseball caps (other plants prefer them to be placed over baseball caps) as far as hair control is concerned.

 

From a biological perspective, some baseball caps are gross. If you're in a facility where you already have company clothing like smocks, I would agree with your laundry policy. In my facility I audit caps just like I audit clothing in general when people show up. Occasional awkward conversation but it gets handled, and since we have hairnets it's not like they get sent home.

 

Sometimes and it depends. Do a risk assessment and see where it lands, then defer to employee preference after that.

[Setanta]

Baseball caps ARE gross.  Never washed, all kinds of dirt and dust, big NO

[Scampi]

NO for me too. I don't even allow ball caps in my live hang area where it is dusty/dirty/gross. Once you allow a rule to be bent in 1 area, it becomes a slippery slope everywhere else

 

One other thing to consider, ball caps have a band on the inside that can be used to hold things you don't want in the plant!

[SQFconsultant]

I've been in over a thousand plants and I've never seen an effective/safe cap program because people will always find a way tk circumvent the protocols; like the one employee I saw one day that was holding his lunch in space between the top of his head and the cap lining.

Even when company issued and laundered we have seen issues.... so - NO.