10 replies to this topic

[Ligita012]

Hi all,

IFS 7.0 requires to have a risk assesment if in the production is allowable plain wedding ring. Maybe anybody could help with the example. 

My risk assesment looks not enouth to the auditor

Regards,

Ligita

[Ligita012]

We are dairy company and all lines are close.

[Scampi]

Are you able to attach your current risk assessment?  

[SQFconsultant]

Keep this simple, ban all rings - having seen a wedding band get caught in a machine the person's bone covering spin off... well, you get the picture.

[liberator]

As SQF said, ban all rings.(all jewelry including wedding rings/bans)  This is what we have done on our sites, it removes any doubt about what is or is not acceptable with regards to rings and jewelry.  The only acceptable/permissible "jewelry" item are the medic alert ones.

[Duncan]

This has always played on my mind! Every food manufacturer I've worked for has banned all jewellery except for plain wedding bands - which have been allowed. I've never understood what the food safety rationale would be for allowing plain wedding bands (though at least they don't have a stone that could fall out and contaminate product) - especially because it seems like it must compromise hand-washing. If it was up to me, every food manufacture would completely exclude all jewellery from open food areas, but it does seem like there's a convention of allowing wedding rings...

 

If you have to produce a risk-based justification, you might consider hand swabs around the wedding band after hand-washing to demonstrate personal hygiene standards, I suppose.

[Setanta]

There are so many threads on this forum about rings, but the best for food and hand safety is do not allow them.

Edited by Setanta, 03 March 2022 - 12:06 PM.

[Scampi]

When performing your risk assessment, don't forget to include scientific documentation.  Likelihood v severity----sure, the likelihood is relatively high, but the severity???  Subject to interpretation

 

Best practice for lots of reasons will always be zero jewelry, but you can still try 

[Mulan1010]

We also allow smooth wedding bands along with medical alert jewelry.  Personally I agree it would make things much easier to just allow no jewelry but Company has policy to allow and I can not see where it has caused any issues.  We justify by the following:

• Biological Contaminations are low and not likely to occur as hands are to be washed, sanitized and then covered with gloves prior to handling any product or equipment.  Our sampling results support that we have not had and biological trending or concerns.
• Chemical Contaminations are low and not likely to occur as hands are to be washed, sanitized and then covered with gloves prior to handling any product or equipment.  We also have safety procedures in place that gloves must be worn when handling chemicals.  If handle an allergen then all PPE is to be changed out, hands to be washed and put on new PPE prior to moving to product or equipment that does not involve an allergen.
• Physical Contamination is low and not likely to occur.  Rings are required to be covered with gloves.    We require they are covered with gloves before handling any equipment or product. However, if it should happen, we require the rings to be metal detectable so should a ring enter the process at least we have equipment that can detect it.  Plus, we train employees to report any missing rings or medical alert jewelry.  Plant history has not had any history of rings entering the process occurring.
• We also have safety policies in place that employees are to lock-out / tag-out equipment prior to putting hands in harms way as if someone did get a hand caught you probably have other things to worry about than just a ring.

I do think Duncan's idea to utilize swabs of the rings or fingers under the rings after washing as a way to help support they do not cause a biological hazard could help. -  You always have the option to appeal if you received a non-compliance, especially if it is in the code that a risk assessment can be done.  

[Ligita012]

Are you able to attach your current risk assessment?  

Dear,

I attached the risk assessment. It is done using google translator

Auditor said she needs comprehensive document including product results, swabs results, inspection results. I have done it in separate document. In any case, maybe you will have any comments of the risk assessment attached.

Thanks

Attached Files

•  ENG_3.2.4 Del vestuviniu ziedu ir laikrodziu.docx   19.63KB   50 downloads

[Charles.C]

Hi all,

IFS 7.0 requires to have a risk assesment if in the production is allowable plain wedding ring. Maybe anybody could help with the example. 

My risk assesment looks not enouth to the auditor

Regards,

Ligita

Hi Ligita,

 

One omission (afai can see) in your document may relate to the potential safety risk to the employee. (eg Posts 4, 9)

 

I have one suggestion, one query -

 

(1) Ask the auditor the reason that the risk assessment is not sufficient.

 

(2) Why do you wish to allow employees to wear wedding rings ? Religious/medical reasons ? (What does your Company's GMP Policy state ?)

 

Some of the posts in thread linked below (eg 21 et seq) graphically/tragically illustrate the first point above -

 

https://www.ifsqn.co...le/#entry152307

 

and -

 

https://www.wooden-j...wearing-jewelry

(some of the later text somewhat "diminishes" the clarity of the detailed intro IMO)

 

and

 

https://www.safeoped...the-job/11/4683

Edited by Charles.C, 06 March 2022 - 04:41 PM.
added