New facility build - requirements

I am working with a client that is building a new facility for production of two dry ingredients.

Does any one have experience with reviewing construction/building design for a brand new facility?

If so, what should I be reviewing to make sure that the facility is built correctly? Obviously process flow, but in terms of materials, ventilation etc.?

The location is in Ontario, Canada. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! :) 

Hello from Ontario!  I participated in commissioning of a new poultry plant last year so this is fresh and new

I would ensure there as little as possible suspended from the ceiling to ensure there is no places for things to build up over production lines and recess the lights so that they are flush if possible.

There are some really great wall panel options that are easily cleaned and durable like this one  http://www.octaform....ts/quick-liner/

Ensure there are sufficient filters on the ventilation system and that they are added to the PRPs for cleanliness. The engineers are probably already looking at an air exchanger, make sure its sized properly or you'll have a world of problems.

Floors should be coated with a durable non slip surface that can withstand forklifts and water cleaning, make sure that lunchrooms/locker/washrooms DO NOT open into production/warehouse areas at all.  How will you ensure the facility is safe?  Employee swipe card entrances?

Ontario gets damned cold in the winter, so the ventilation system needs to cover temps like we have right now (feels like 42C) to days with a wind chill where is feels like -30C) and that all the exterior doors are properly designed to function in that kind of cold

If I think of anything else, I will add it

Do they have a project manager overseeing this??  I know from a food safety regulatory perspective, we had quite a few battles with the head engineer, QA MUST be involved from the beginning to avoid costly mistakes later....generally the head engineer/project manager is looking to maximize profitability with little thought to QA requirements.

We have been involved in several pre-plans and two full the ground up projects.

Each one was planning on getting SQF certified once up and running.

I would say the biggest challenge is ensuring that a facility is constructed based on a mind-set of food safety.

We have way too many facilities that gave no thought to food safety.

I would first grab the standards book (regardless if SQF, or BRC, IFS, etc.) and look at everything thru a mind-set of food safety - as Scampi mentioned ventilation, etc.

It was great hearing an experienced and well respected SQF Auditor say- WOW, this place was designed from a food safety standpoint and that facility got a very high score on their first audit.  That actually reminded me of a time I did an SQF Audit years back on a relatively new facility and said basically the exact same thing.

Thanks so much you guys!! Much appreciated! 

Hi V. Hudson,

There are a lots of aspects to take into consideration. Please look for hygienic building guidelines. A few additional tips:

• Keep the building accessible for inspection and cleaning
• Put lights, cables etc. not directly above production lines
• Let cable ways open (to avoid places for accumulation of dirt)
• A very important one: Will any of the (future) products fall under a High risk or High care zoning approach? It won't be the case now, but maybe in the future or required by new customers or certification standards. It's easier (and cheaper) to build that in now, than to invest in such later, as Scampi mentioned here above

Note, I didn't knew that it's so cold in Ontario :-)

Kind regards,

Gerard Heerkens

Oh Gerard

France looks so appealing in January by comparison!!!  We're surrounded by the great lakes so there's nothing to slow down the wind that comes off them when they aren't frozen yet. BRRRR

Hi Scampi,

I get the shivers, when I read this! We had 2 weeks of wind coming from Siberia here in the Dordogne, last February. They called it the Russian train. With 6°C it felt very cold. People here found that it was the coldest winter, they could remember.

In the future, I will think about you over there!

Warm regards,

Gerard