9 replies to this topic

[The Food Scientist]

Hey everyone!

 

Just curious to know what everyone did in regard to Crisis Management Plan (SQF) when it comes to COVID-19?

 

We really can't do any meetings now due to social distancing to do a crisis management meeting to discuss. 

 

Also if anyone can share what exactly or any notes to their Crisis Management Plan? The thing is that to my knowledge about the virus is that it does not really affect "Food Safety or Quality" , but affects employee health and safety. So does it REALLY fall under Crisis Management since it covers dangers that can impact the sites ability to deliver safe food?

 

Thoughts? :)

[Xoinks]

I personally think Crisis management absolutely applies - and I would expect auditors to feel the same.  Crisis Management includes food supply disruptions, and as a potential risk that may impact your site's ability to operate (a positive case requiring quarantine, etc.) would qualify.   What if your key management or production personnel had to quarantine for 14 days?  What would happen if your key personnel work closely with most of your plant, and they were diagnosed?  How would you keep operating - or would you?  Etc.  

 

For us, we do our meetings out in the 'open' versus a conference room, with everyone 6ft apart or more.  We also have everyone's phone number and have done texts as a way to coordinate.  A conference call/Zoom/Skype meeting would work as well.  We had two cell phones on speaker phone in our last meeting as a way to include our two members working remotely.  

 

We addressed preventative measures, FDA guidance, filed evidence that COVID-19 is not a food safety risk per the CDC (it's important to show you considered it).  We are a small facility with a lot of personnel working closely - so we've been building up a 3 week stock of product in the event we have to shut down for 2 weeks.  We are fortunate in that we produce only our own branded product, so the customers relying on us are really grocery stores.    However - we also checked on vital ingredients that we need to produce.  If one of those shut down, do we have alternates we can source?

 

We've also decided on preventative measures taken within the facility.  No truck drivers within the facility, no direct sales to walk-ins, weekly reminders to employees to stay home if they're sick, period.  (previously a slightly scratchy throat or minor cold with no fever, jaundice, vomiting, etc. was allowable)  We've posted reminders for handwashing, not touching face, weekly meetings reinforcing that.  We also established a policy that those with pending Coronavirus tests or a household member with pending tests (or matching symptoms) need to stay home.  

 

With meetings, it's also possible to have two (or however many) of the main decision makers outline the general thinking.  This can be drawn up, emailed to members, and then keep the meeting on point by discussing/revising those notes.  (Makes text meetings and/or conference calls more productive)

[The Food Scientist]

I personally think Crisis management absolutely applies - and I would expect auditors to feel the same.  Crisis Management includes food supply disruptions, and as a potential risk that may impact your site's ability to operate (a positive case requiring quarantine, etc.) would qualify.   What if your key management or production personnel had to quarantine for 14 days?  What would happen if your key personnel work closely with most of your plant, and they were diagnosed?  How would you keep operating - or would you?  Etc.  

 

For us, we do our meetings out in the 'open' versus a conference room, with everyone 6ft apart or more.  We also have everyone's phone number and have done texts as a way to coordinate.  A conference call/Zoom/Skype meeting would work as well.  We had two cell phones on speaker phone in our last meeting as a way to include our two members working remotely.  

 

We addressed preventative measures, FDA guidance, filed evidence that COVID-19 is not a food safety risk per the CDC (it's important to show you considered it).  We are a small facility with a lot of personnel working closely - so we've been building up a 3 week stock of product in the event we have to shut down for 2 weeks.  We are fortunate in that we produce only our own branded product, so the customers relying on us are really grocery stores.    However - we also checked on vital ingredients that we need to produce.  If one of those shut down, do we have alternates we can source?

 

We've also decided on preventative measures taken within the facility.  No truck drivers within the facility, no direct sales to walk-ins, weekly reminders to employees to stay home if they're sick, period.  (previously a slightly scratchy throat or minor cold with no fever, jaundice, vomiting, etc. was allowable)  We've posted reminders for handwashing, not touching face, weekly meetings reinforcing that.  We also established a policy that those with pending Coronavirus tests or a household member with pending tests (or matching symptoms) need to stay home.  

 

With meetings, it's also possible to have two (or however many) of the main decision makers outline the general thinking.  This can be drawn up, emailed to members, and then keep the meeting on point by discussing/revising those notes.  (Makes text meetings and/or conference calls more productive)

 

 

Thank you! Highly appreciate your response :)

[kettlecorn]

Hey everyone!

 

Just curious to know what everyone did in regard to Crisis Management Plan (SQF) when it comes to COVID-19?

 

We really can't do any meetings now due to social distancing to do a crisis management meeting to discuss. 

 

Also if anyone can share what exactly or any notes to their Crisis Management Plan? The thing is that to my knowledge about the virus is that it does not really affect "Food Safety or Quality" , but affects employee health and safety. So does it REALLY fall under Crisis Management since it covers dangers that can impact the sites ability to deliver safe food?

 

Thoughts? :)

Hi Food Scientist,

 

I'm actually in the middle of revising our plan, and while I can't share details, I can say from looking at it (and I was the one who wrote it) that I can see that, in view of all the crises anticipated there, the current crisis was not imagined beforehand. You're right that, in general, COVID-19 is not a food safety or quality issue, in the sense that there is no evidence transmission of the virus occurs through food or food production, but one of the weak spots in our particular plan that I'm trying to address right now is what happens when a significant portion of vital staff is absent and yet production continues. This isn't only a business continuity issue. We're running somewhat bare bones at the moment, and, while I trust my crew and the training they've been given, if we lost a few more key people for whatever reason I would honestly question the supervision and overall experience on the floor, both in terms of food safety and quality. 

 

Preventive redundancies are one way of addressing this, but I think a stronger overall quality and training system needs to be in place too. 

[Ryan M.]

We are using Microsoft Teams to meet.  It seems to be going well.  It is free if you have a Office 365 license and is available on multiple platforms.

 

We tested our "COVID Response Plan" today and it was a learning experience.  Unfortunately, the persons in the facility and those working from home do not necessarily share the same "urgency" in responding so we have a number of improvements to make.  We'll continue testing our plan over the next week.  All of this will be documented as part of our crisis management plan for SQF so it's a good thing.

[Tresa]

Can anyone share what exactly you added to the crisis management plan according to the pandemic COVID-19?

[clrmwebb4350]

I have heard differing opinions including some that were on webinars to add COVID 19 to the CMP or to have a separate plan specifically for COVID. Thoughts? 

[Charles.C]

I have heard differing opinions including some that were on webinars to add COVID 19 to the CMP or to have a separate plan specifically for COVID. Thoughts? 

I suggest to browse the other multiple threads, eg -

 

https://www.ifsqn.co...on/#entry159900

 

The conclusion if any is a mixed bag particularly depending on one's interpretation/Guidance of SQF's FS Crisis (since this is a SQF thread).

Additional discussion is included if one contemplates using C19 as a "mock" crisis.

[carine]

I personally think Crisis management absolutely applies - and I would expect auditors to feel the same.  Crisis Management includes food supply disruptions, and as a potential risk that may impact your site's ability to operate (a positive case requiring quarantine, etc.) would qualify.   What if your key management or production personnel had to quarantine for 14 days?  What would happen if your key personnel work closely with most of your plant, and they were diagnosed?  How would you keep operating - or would you?  Etc.  

 

For us, we do our meetings out in the 'open' versus a conference room, with everyone 6ft apart or more.  We also have everyone's phone number and have done texts as a way to coordinate.  A conference call/Zoom/Skype meeting would work as well.  We had two cell phones on speaker phone in our last meeting as a way to include our two members working remotely.  

 

We addressed preventative measures, FDA guidance, filed evidence that COVID-19 is not a food safety risk per the CDC (it's important to show you considered it).  We are a small facility with a lot of personnel working closely - so we've been building up a 3 week stock of product in the event we have to shut down for 2 weeks.  We are fortunate in that we produce only our own branded product, so the customers relying on us are really grocery stores.    However - we also checked on vital ingredients that we need to produce.  If one of those shut down, do we have alternates we can source?

 

We've also decided on preventative measures taken within the facility.  No truck drivers within the facility, no direct sales to walk-ins, weekly reminders to employees to stay home if they're sick, period.  (previously a slightly scratchy throat or minor cold with no fever, jaundice, vomiting, etc. was allowable)  We've posted reminders for handwashing, not touching face, weekly meetings reinforcing that.  We also established a policy that those with pending Coronavirus tests or a household member with pending tests (or matching symptoms) need to stay home.  

 

With meetings, it's also possible to have two (or however many) of the main decision makers outline the general thinking.  This can be drawn up, emailed to members, and then keep the meeting on point by discussing/revising those notes.  (Makes text meetings and/or conference calls more productive)

We have done the precautionary measures as u had done.. wondering where should we recorded the things that we had done n show to auditor just in case asking .

[Charles.C]

We have done the precautionary measures as u had done.. wondering where should we recorded the things that we had done n show to auditor just in case asking .

Assuming this is for SQF, what is your specific FS-related Crisis  that would be caused by yr (how?) encountering the Covid-19 virus ?

 

Also see this post -

 

https://www.ifsqn.co...20/#entry160704