Should cell phones be included in the Glass/Brittle Plastic register?
Hi Everyone and Happy Friday.
I have a question regarding production workers cell phones. Senior Management is allowing employees to keep their cell phones in their pocket?
Do they need to be listed on my Glass/Brittle Plastic register? I did not endorse cells phones on the production floor at all, but was over ruled.
Thank you!
the problem we had with cell phones (as per a consultant suggestion) was the hand to mouth spreading of bacteria etc...we don't allow cell phones in production areas, only in break rooms.
we actually had some wise guy who started bringing a tablet to work with him saying its not covered by policy, had to rewrite our cellphone policy to include cell phone, tablets and any other personal electronics.
We allow them in pockets but workers must step away from production if they need to take an emergency call. To re-enter production areas they must wash hands and don new gloves. That being said we find that workers use cell phones at breaks and do not pull them out during the shift. Otherwise we would have to enforce a stricter policy.
I have an exception log for hearing aids and such, but cell phones are prohibited. Items taken into the production facility are verified intact upon going into the production facility and upon leaving the production facility. My main concern with cellphone is a broken screen (glass) or the cellphone accidentally being dropped into equipment or food grade product. A phone getting into machinery or product could cost the company a lot of time and money.
If you put them on your glass and brittle plastics register, then you would have to check them every since they leave the facility. They could come back in a different condition than they left in.
Cell phones on employees should be prohibited.
If people need to get a hold of an employee during working hours, then their family, friends, etc. (for emergencies only) should be provided the company number and a manager would then contact the employee.
I have yet to see one GMP statement for employees that didn't prohibit cell phones in production, shipping, etc.
Most allow cell phones to be left in employee lockers and can be used when on breaks etc in a secured area such as outside, lunchroom, locker room.
There are most times exceptions such as the need for techs, managers and owners to carry a communication device and this should be clearly expressed in the GMPs so the general employees don't think - oh, yeah that's the rule for us but not for them.
I also am in a situation where I was overruled by management, so we do allow them in employees pockets and they must step away from production to check their phones. Then they have to go through the normal hand-washing procedures to re-enter production which mitigates the risk of cross-contamination.
For personnel who sometimes require their phones on the floor for work purposes (being on the phone with a company while trouble-shooting equipment, for example), I have their name listed on a cell phone exception list, and in our GMP it specifically states that cell phones must not be used in production unless authorized by management. This also allows us to allow contractors to use their phones in cases where it's required (we just inspect their physical condition prior to entry into production). We also have a safety policy in place that if they are taking a call for work purposes in production, they can't use the phone while walking. This is to ensure they are fully aware of their surroundings while in motion - we have forklifts in the area and that could spell disaster.
Allowing them on the floor in general gives you numerous extra potential sources of glass. Best policy is always to not allow employees to have them in production unless authorized to do so.
EWWWWE , it's not just the glass....................we all know where cellphones go!
We do not allow cell phones (with management/circumstance exceptions) on the production floor. Glass breakage, bacterial contamination are both risk factors... however our cell phone policy falls under our "no cameras" policy (risk of release of proprietary info, etc.) We have actually had more instances of violations involving employees taking photos while out on the production floor. :dunno:
I also am in a situation where I was overruled by management, so we do allow them in employees pockets and they must step away from production to check their phones. Then they have to go through the normal hand-washing procedures to re-enter production which mitigates the risk of cross-contamination.
This is also our policy, however, it's not followed. Personnel have many times been seen using phones in production areas where they aren't allowed.
Extreme cases: they've even been standing, leaning over raw materials while chatting/texting/gaming on their phones!! :thumbup: *ironic*
Sadly, I was overruled when proposing a ban of phones in production areas.
The same goes for making the site a non-smoking site (with company offering to help personnel quit smoking). The smoking routines we have are not followed either.
No one else seems to make the connection with non-conformancies on these two items and my suggestions of change/improvement.
Needless to say, I'm not happy with my current work situation.... :helpplease:
I also am in a situation where I was overruled by management, so we do allow them in employees pockets and they must step away from production to check their phones. Then they have to go through the normal hand-washing procedures to re-enter production which mitigates the risk of cross-contamination.
For personnel who sometimes require their phones on the floor for work purposes (being on the phone with a company while trouble-shooting equipment, for example), I have their name listed on a cell phone exception list, and in our GMP it specifically states that cell phones must not be used in production unless authorized by management. This also allows us to allow contractors to use their phones in cases where it's required (we just inspect their physical condition prior to entry into production). We also have a safety policy in place that if they are taking a call for work purposes in production, they can't use the phone while walking. This is to ensure they are fully aware of their surroundings while in motion - we have forklifts in the area and that could spell disaster.
Allowing them on the floor in general gives you numerous extra potential sources of glass. Best policy is always to not allow employees to have them in production unless authorized to do so.
No cell phones (or other personal electronic devices or literature / books) in production areas (we control this by defining production areas as "Any area that is not a designated break or office area") AT ALL. The push-back was "what if there is a personal emergency?" We have a 24 hour line that rings in and is always answered by the supervisor or person in charge and the employees can take that call any time there is a personal issue. I cna't see how a risk assessment could be done and not find a risk with allowing them in production areas. Having an employee keep it in their pocket and wash hands if they use it seems an un-enforceable procedure and a failure of your HACCP and GMPs. It's a biological hazard that can't be reasonably controlled if cell phones are present. If you were at a fast food restaurant and the manager that was making food took a phone call than went right back to making your food, would you eat it?
They always want to bring up the 'what if there an emergency' emergencies have been around a lot longer than cellphones and messages always got delivered.
They always want to bring up the 'what if there an emergency' emergencies have been around a lot longer than cellphones and messages always got delivered.
Spot on - "Personal emergencies" are such a poor excuse to allow phones in production areas in my opinion,. Every facility I've ever been in has some kind of paging or radio system. Plus - most of our facility does not have cell service anyway because it's basically a large metal building - which I assume is the case in a lot of places!
Spot on - "Personal emergencies" are such a poor excuse to allow phones in production areas in my opinion,. Every facility I've ever been in has some kind of paging or radio system. Plus - most of our facility does not have cell service anyway because it's basically a large metal building - which I assume is the case in a lot of places!
lack of service cracks me up, we have a few positions (management & maintenance) that are allowed to carry their cell phones, those people complain about there not being any service in the building or service being very poor, so I see those people carrying their phones and I stop and ask why they have it, "because I'm allowed, " "but you said you get no service so there is no point in having it on you" "but i'm allowed"
we have several cordless phone that can be carried around and every machine in the plant has its own phone. there really is no reason for anyone to ever have their phone on them.
we work with some very flammable materials, one spark from a defective battery and BOOOM!!!
This is also our policy, however, it's not followed. Personnel have many times been seen using phones in production areas where they aren't allowed.
Extreme cases: they've even been standing, leaning over raw materials while chatting/texting/gaming on their phones!! :thumbup: *ironic*
Sadly, I was overruled when proposing a ban of phones in production areas.
The same goes for making the site a non-smoking site (with company offering to help personnel quit smoking). The smoking routines we have are not followed either.
No one else seems to make the connection with non-conformancies on these two items and my suggestions of change/improvement.
Needless to say, I'm not happy with my current work situation.... :helpplease:
LOL I feel you. It's like we can have all our ducks in a row but then because it's inconvenient for someone higher up we get overruled. We had a pre-assessment done and the consultant recommended we control what's in our vending machines, especially when it comes to allergens and chewing gum. However one of the managers always buys their gum from the vending machine, so I wasn't allowed to take the gum out. :rolleyes:
I also have supervisors complain that when you tell the employees things "it's in one ear and out the other" and "what can you do". Well that's your job, so you better figure it out!
I just make sure to document all of my recommendations and other issues, just to cover my butt.
And just to be clear for everyone else reading: I am in full support of an outright ban on cell phones and other personal electronic devices. I know the risks involved. Unfortunately the ones calling the shots don't seem to think it's such a big deal because we're low risk.
tezza07. Show them this topic string (maybe except your last comment lol) so they can see it isn't a choice they can just make for their comfort, it's a given that cell phones and other personal electronic devices ARE a food safety risk. Also stress that it shows a lack of commitment on their part which is a catastrophic failure of their part of the program, which they would already know if they were invested in said program. I am fortunate to work for a company that is fully invested in the program at all levels and sees the future of the GFSI and wants to be a part of it before it is forced on them because it will be in the coming years.
Or maybe what we should all do is swab the bosses phone and culture it out!!!!!!!!!!! then ask them if they'd like a sandwich with that spread on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A contentious issue that has been debated for the last 25 years I've been in my Food Safety Compliance roll. As the years have past, electronics miniaturized and cell phone ownership/usage so has the call become louder more prevalent so has the perceived justification for it's inclusion. Yes, we've all been confronted with the usual emergencies, breakdown etc. and have had to evolve our GMP policies to recant any reason that these electronic items are generally permissible inclusions within food production facilities.
I too have management who have evolved into technomaniacs, were the little devices they worship every day, must be attended to immediately, every time they beep, vibrate or ring instinct tells them they must attend to whoever/whatever the person at the other end has contacted them about. Don't tell me that a phone in a persons pocket is going to remain there if it activates and once attended to the person is going to comply with all the policies before returning to their task. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
I like other's in this Topic String have had to make it quite clear with policies, training and GMP audit violations that this practice is not permissible, but there are documented limited exceptions, as eluded to by others here.
Initially my risk assessment focused on the glass aspect of the issue but as ownership/usage ramped up my focus moved to contamination. The use of these in the toilet and the total lack of sterilization of the equipment makes the risk of inclusion into the production area as high as not washing your hands after going to the toilet. Ask those that are opposing the restriction if they'll relent on that policy and see where it leads you.
I googled "how clean are mobile phones" and this was the result: About 70,700,000 results (0.51 seconds) and I bet none of those shows a positive result.
I picked just 2 on the first 5 to pop up that would lead to any right minded, committed food safety organisation to ban the practice.
http://time.com/4908...phone-bacteria/
https://www.cbsnews....le-in-bathroom/
Hello,
In our company, we produce pasteurized crab meat, we dont allow CP to be brought inside including supervisors. On the first place, they could photograph inside which we also prohibit, plus the risk of contamination, microbial if the touch the CP without washing hands and FO is some parts falls in the product, aside from the screen.
Prohibiting CP inside, will lessen the work of making risk assessment of bringing CP inside production area.
regards,
redfox