9 replies to this topic

[kdiamond2011]

Hi All,

 

We have an issue with Listeria mono found on the bottom of our shoes. We have switched our foot foamers (they spray sanitizer foam onto the production door entry walkways every 20 minutes) to Quat instead of peracetic acid. We have instituted mandatory spraying of shoes when entering the building and when entering the warehouse/GMP zone. We have a captive shoe program in our facility but there is the possibility that L.mono is picked up in the common areas such as locker rooms and break rooms where outside and captive shoes are both touching the floor. We have also instituted mandatory shoe cleanings every Monday for all shifts. Our process is composed of dry powders and syrup/butter, which is why we have door foamers to all the entrances to our production room. We wet clean the entire room and production line every night. We have also put dry foot baths with quat crystals in the changing rooms for employee outside and captive shoes to go through. The shoes are changed yearly when we have a shoe truck come to the facility.

 

With all of the above items we have done, we are still getting L.mono hits on our employee captive shoes. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to get rid of the L. mono? Any suggestions for a good shoe cleaning program?

 

Thank you!!!

[Lesley.Roberts]

What does your EPM programme cover & where else have you had L mono findings?... I'm fairly sure that the shoes are not the reservoir so shoes would be transferring the microorganism around your site.

Have you mapped floor findings vs. flow of product?.

 

Do you have floor scrubbers, have you swabbed them?

If not what is your floor cleaning process & has any of this equipment been found to be contaminated.....

Are you rigorous in your control of colour coded cleaning equipment

Have you spoken to your chemical supplier to assess the suitability of your current chemicals.

To achieve a kill in risk areas you could use Sterilox powder?... in my experience it is very effective.

[SQFconsultant]

Hi Kate - Spartan Chemical recently did a full mapping of one of our clients in Ohio at our recommendation.  They came in with an on-staff lab person and literally spent over 3 days in thMP e facility.

 

Now, when employees leave the GMP areas they are required to step into crystals and then into a liquid, next they step on a shoe outline machine that wraps the bottom of the shoe with a plastic film - they can then go about doing whatever in the employee areas, even walk outside, etc and then they pull the covers off the bottom of the shoes, re-step into crystals and liquid, walk thru the foam and they are back to work.

 

With Spartan completing the mapping and their Lab tech doing re-swabs it appears the problem (similar to yours) has become a thing of the past.

[Ryan M.]

Agree with the other responses. The shoes are merely traveling vehicles for the L.Mono, not the source. Map the foot traffic, including forklift and cart traffic as well. Perhaps, the persons with L.Mono positive shoes are traveling to only certain areas of the facility, or at certain times.

[Charles.C]

Hi Kate - Spartan Chemical recently did a full mapping of one of our clients in Ohio at our recommendation.  They came in with an on-staff lab person and literally spent over 3 days in thMP e facility.

 

Now, when employees leave the GMP areas they are required to step into crystals and then into a liquid, next they step on a shoe outline machine that wraps the bottom of the shoe with a plastic film - they can then go about doing whatever in the employee areas, even walk outside, etc and then they pull the covers off the bottom of the shoes, re-step into crystals and liquid, walk thru the foam and they are back to work.

 

With Spartan completing the mapping and their Lab tech doing re-swabs it appears the problem (similar to yours) has become a thing of the past.

 

Hi Glenn,

 

Sounds like a recipe for a twisted ankle.

 

I recall a previous thread here discussing use of crystals and the implications (no plastic film) with respect to re-use of product dropped on floor.

[SQFconsultant]

No twisted ankle issues, however because they make freeze dried meats for dog treats if they were to introduce a wet product to the floor allowing for even a little mix on the floor with some crushed freeze dried cubes it would become a,skating rink and broken ankles would be the least of it.

[Charles.C]

No twisted ankle issues, however because they make freeze dried meats for dog treats if they were to introduce a wet product to the floor allowing for even a little mix on the floor with some crushed freeze dried cubes it would become a,skating rink and broken ankles would be the least of it.

 

Must be a non-slip plastic film then. Self-propellant IMEX.

[MsMars]

Adding to above suggestions, I would also closely monitor your captive shoe compliance.

Are you speaking of spraying outside footwear with sanitizer? Spraying does no good if there is gross organic buildup.

How often is your quat powder changed out?

[lordazzo13]

We just had a commercial food sanitation company come out for our RTE facility and they suggested an alkaline peroxide powder as hurdles crossing all traffic areas.

It’s dry (advantage) and they emphasized reducing anything wet in your facility as it will readily “move” Listeria to other areas rather quickly.

He was against door guard foot foamers. He suggested the peroxide powder, flooding drains with quat, and getting the exact cleaner and sanitizer geared for the products you manufacture.

We have a new “Seek and Destroy” program for Environmental swabbing with the intention of finding Listeria mono. He also suggested using one swab for multiple “similar” areas to gain a wider view. For example, swab 10 people’s shoes, one swab which would be considered a composite. Listeria on one employees shoe is as good as on all of them. As long as those employees are from the same hygienic zone.

He swears the powder all but eliminates pathogen track in. I’ll soon find out

Edited by lordazzo13, 21 February 2019 - 12:21 AM.

[Jumbeau]

We operate a red line system where outside shoes are worn into the locker room and are removed by staff.   The staff then step over a red line and put on their work shoes.   The outside shoes aren't allowed into the factory and the work shoes aren't allowed over the red line and out of the factory.   Staff also change into their work uniform once they cross the red line and remove the uniform before they cross back over the red line at the end of their shift.   This ensures no foreign matter, objects or bacteria/pathogens can be brought into the factory via staff boots or shoes.

 

Listeria is very hard to get rid of once it has found a home in a factory.