Weekly Contractors Escorted at all Times?

Here I am again!

Our Visitor Policy states visitors/Contractors must be escorted at al times while in the facility.

Our Cleaning company is not escorted at all times and there's 3 of them.

Our Industrial Supply Co. is not escorted while they refill our GMP supplies.

Our Pest Control contractor is not escorted while he does his pest control things.

I have yet to see one document that addresses contractors you are not going to following around or 3 hours.

We have written into our visitor procedure that a contract service provider may be escorted to their area of work and left unattended so long as they have signed the GMP Policy and have an NDA on file.  For us this is for the uniform provider, PCO and the chemical company performing monthly titrations and inventory.  We are an SQF Level 2 facility and I have not had an issue yet with an auditor.  

The question I would ask is how do you identify the contract service provider or visitor while in your facility?  we have brightly colored garments so they stick out like a sore thumb while in the processing areas.  

Hi  Peacequeen,

Ok, so here at our facility, we also have visitors policy written to state that visitors/contractors will be provided an escort to their area of work. I understand that pest control technicians actually roam the entire building, but their focus is on the perimeter of the inside and outside of the facility so they have no interaction with machinery or product directly and so you can still claim that all visitors/contractors have a "focus" and any activity outside that "focus" would be seen, this is how you prove you have "control of the floor". As a food defense principle, all visitors/contractors must enter through a central point (front office) where they sign into a register. The headline of that register is that they have read and understand and intend to follow the visitor/contractor GMPs they have been provided and also a NDA. The GMPs provided essentially cover a few areas; not touching any product, not touching any product contact surfaces, tool/small ware reconciliation, alerting Supervisors/Quality Technicians after work has been completed as a manner to address "releasing the area back to production", chemical control statement "no outside chemicals allowed", communicable disease statement, and yes as "nwilson" mentioned, as a matter of the Emergency Response Plan, visitors/contractors must be easy to identify. So, in case of a fire or tornado, we know to grab them and show them what to do and where to go.

SQF demands constant improvement, this is why the code itself is constantly improving. As an example, we should all take a look at our visitor/ contractor policy to adjust to new language found in SQF Version 8. Specifically, if you look at 2.8 Allergen Management, there is now this; 2.8.1.1 ii "an assessment of workplace-related food allergens from locker rooms, vending machines, lunch rooms, visitors".

That's right, make sure you visitor/contractor GMP document mentions "no allergens allowed" or maybe just "no outside food permitted". Simply the fact that this language is brand new to Version 8 and not found in Version 7.2 means I bet auditors will be looking for it.

As always, I hope something I have shared will help, and I wish everyone the best!!!

My list of contract service providers indicates whether or not they are permitted to enter the building without an escort. We have longterm relationships with our pest control, laundry, and electrician services so they have been identified as allowed to roam.

You can't say you escort contractors and visitors if you don't do what your own policy says you do and allowing contractors or visitors to be taken to their area and left unattended - no way in heck!

We escort and at least one company rep stays with them at all times.

We have a gigantic issue with a contractor years ago that was left unattended and it is not going to happen again, ever.

Hi Peacequeen,

Just a thought, maybe you should change the wording on your policy. The SQF Code Edition 8 Module 13: Good Manufacturing Practices for Production of Food Packaging

states

"13.3.5.3  All visitors shall be trained in the appropriate site food packaging safety and hygiene procedures before entering into any manufacturing or handling areas or shall be escorted at all times in manufacturing and storage areas." 

I would emphasize the word "or". As long as guests and visitors are educated about general safety, relevant GMP's, and chemical/allergen restrictions, an escort is not required according to the code.

Thank you all!  I have created a GMP/NDA Policy Agreement for Visitors and Contractors to sign with the stipulation that contract service providers who are here all the time sign once and keep on file until revision of policy changes.

No contractors are allowed on our site without undergoing an induction and a risk assessment of the tasks they are undertaking. Regular "contracted" contractors (i.e. ones that come to site on a regular basis for maintenance) to our site have to undergo an annual induction which covers off GMP, HACCP and safety. Once they have completed an induction they are OK to be on site unescorted and they have a visitor/contractor pass.

Specialist contractors i.e. coming on site for a single one off type visit are required to complete our induction but are not permitted to work alone and need a contactor support team member to be with them. Non-inducted visitors are never allowed onto the manufacturing part of our site without an escort. They are ok if just coming to the offices for a meeting but they still need to sign in and agree to a very basic "induction" which is all electronic.

Sorry, a little late to the party. Our approved Vendor program provides for information to be sent to contractors regarding our Food Safety and GMP policies and Safety policies also (HazCom, Forklift safety etc). When a contractor arrives they are met and they sign a sheet recording their info, their companies info, duration of their visit, date and times, if they are bringing tools into the facility, they are given our written GMPs and acknowledgement that they have read and understand the Food Safety and GMP rules. They are then given a fluorescent green safety vest to identify them as a contractor. They have to wear their visitor badges as well. this includes pest control, trainers and electricians. They are taken to and then can work on whatever they were called to work on at that point. All other site visitors are required to have a "host" with them at all times. Visitor and outside contractor sign in sheets are collected daily and scanned into our record-keeping system and kept for no less than 3 years

I am just starting to work on my vendor/contract services program, your comments above are invaluable.

We plan on stating that Visitors must be escorted, but contracted service providers will be trained on our GMP's, sign an NDA and then they will be allowed to go about the facility unescorted.