6 replies to this topic

[SaraUribe]

Hi, I am the practitioner in a low risk food manufacturing plant (repacking an RTE vegetable). The owners have a new facility and are trying to build a lunchroom/ break room with waist high yellow barricades! I mentioned that this will not fly with SQF standards and they are considering a wall buildout but are asking me if it would need a ceiling. The building has really high ceilings and I am not sure on how to answer them.

 

Also, can the breakroom open directly into the plant? Is a vestibule or second door is needed for the breakroom? I know the bathroom code section mentions that they cannot open directly into the food handing areas but I do not see anything in the code about the breakroom cannot open into the food handing area. 

 

If you have any suggestions, please help. Thank you 

[SQFconsultant]

Sara Uribe, good afternoon and welcome to IFSQN.

[Charles.C]

Low Risk is highly debatable IMO.

 

Quick answer is No.

[SQFconsultant]

Hi, I am the practitioner in a low risk food manufacturing plant (repacking an RTE vegetable). The owners have a new facility and are trying to build a lunchroom/ break room with waist high yellow barricades! I mentioned that this will not fly with SQF standards and they are considering a wall buildout but are asking me if it would need a ceiling. The building has really high ceilings and I am not sure on how to answer them.

 

Also, can the breakroom open directly into the plant? Is a vestibule or second door is needed for the breakroom? I know the bathroom code section mentions that they cannot open directly into the food handing areas but I do not see anything in the code about the breakroom cannot open into the food handing area. 

 

If you have any suggestions, please help. Thank you 

 

A. Tell the owners the yellow barricades are not going to work.

B. Yes, walls needed.

C. I have a number of SQF clients, but only one that (due to high ceiling) has no ceiling, this has been acceptable during the last 10 years of SQF inspections.

D. You'll need run a risk analysis on not having a celing and it would need to be quite strong - odors, pest control, adequate lighting, ventilation issues, etc.

E. Frankly, it would be better to put a drop ceiling in.

F. You need to clear not putting a ceiling in with your building code enforcement department (town, county, etc.) and Fire Marshall division.

G. It can not open directly into a food handling area

 

Like Charles said, low risk on an RTE veg product, not so sure about that.

[MsMars]

Opening directly into warehouse: maybe.  Opening directly into exposed product/packing areas: no.

[TimG]

You've probably already checked out the guidance documentation on this put out by SQFI, but in case you haven't I'll post a link here. https://www.sqfi.com...-with-cover.pdf

11.3.10 specifically deals with employee lunch rooms. Quote from the above guidance document: "Designated lunch rooms must therefore be available for staff to take breaks and eat meals. These areas must be physically separated from food handling areas."

 

My interpretation of this guidance is that barricades would not be sufficient as 'physical separation.'

 

As far as lunchroom opening into the plant, I've worked in SQF facilities where this was the case and had no issues. I did have a hazard analysis which covered each of our employee amenities, which I strongly suggest everyone have.

[Hoosiersmoker]

Similar situation - Low risk but we're a packaging manufacturer so not required to have physical walls. The requirement is "13.3.9.1 Separate lunch room facilities shall be provided away from packaging manufacturing, handling or storage areas." We have the waist high yellow guardrails (employees call it the golden corral!) around our break area. There are only 2 points of entry / exit to control the flow of employee traffic. Our lockers are also within the border of the area. This was looked at before the SQF packaging standard was created. Our risk assessment shows because of the proximity and hand washing requirements there is little to no risk of allergen introduction to production (the only real hazard identified)