Dress Code, looking to allow shorts again
Looking to possibly revise our uniform policy to allow shorts again (with appropriate regulations). We want to make sure we are not breaking any food safety policies. I have found the below article from OSHA where they are trying to appeal to all employees and help out during warmer months. Has anyone had any success with this and still maintaining their solid food safety practices?
Hopping onto this thread because I'm curious what folks have to say about this matter as well.
Based on personal experience and what I've gleaned from previous topics on the forum, full-length pants are ideal; the wearing of shorts and skirts is much more likely to be scrutinized by an auditor. That said, under SQF your facility's dress code should be determined by your particular process/products, your facility's layout, and the potential hazards you identify in your operation.
(assuming you're a food manufacturer) 11.3.3.1 The site shall undertake a risk analysis to ensure that the clothing and hair policy protects materials, food and food contact surfaces from unintentional microbiological or physical contamination.
If you're set on trying to revise your uniform policy, complete a documented risk assessment and file it away and, if your findings allow you to justify the wearing of shorts in your facility, be prepared for an auditor to ask for it.
We have had several clients that wanted to do this, but after completing risk analysis each one with the exception of a pass thru storage facility chose not to allow shorts.
I've fought this battle with warehouse staff at multiple facilities. I finally relented at one point - no shorts in production areas, but warehouse staff may wear shorts as long as they are only working with finished/packaged product. If they enter a production area, they must put on long pants (along with appropriate PPE: coat, hairnet, etc.). I've never had an issue with production staff complaining about not being allowed to wear shorts because I've always worked with refrigerated product.
I work for a company that makes food contact packaging. We allow shorts and short sleeve pants. However our customers express concern about hair getting into our packaging products whenever they visit or audit our plant.
This portion did get added to our current uniform risk assessment and we moved forward with it. We switched to the "no shorts" policy a while back due to customer concern. The concern Management was having with it now was how hot areas of the shop floor were getting to with little we could turn to in the way of assisting or helping with the situation. I even went so far as to look at OSHA policy on the issue and they have lightened up on the shorts policy as well as of March 2019. I appreciate everyone's help and input on this issue.