9 replies to this topic

[PackageMarshal]

Due to the nature of some of their tasks, operators get a slow buildup of food grade grease on their hands throughout the day.  Our standard soap does not remove the grease buildup well at all such that we'd like them to have a degreaser soap available.  What products would be recommended for use?

If a degreaser soap is used that is documented to be food safe and scentless, would they need to wash their hands with the standard soap after its use if their hands were only "contaminated" by a food grade substance or would the potable water rinse be sufficient?  If a degreaser isn't scentless, could the degreaser be tolerated provided that the standard soap is used right after?

[Sayed M Naim Khalid]

First, I would use gloves to avoid grease build up from happening. I will also see if the foods I am handling such as TSC and RTE, I would specifically see the handwashing effectiveness because if grease is not gone after washing, how you can ensure that it is still not contaminated? 

 

If you want to use degreaser for handwashing, I will certainly consider the risk of corrosivity. Normally degreasers like sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and sodium metasilicate raise the pH of solutions to a level that can easily impact human tissues and certain metals. 

 

Lastly, degreaser are oil based and water based. If you use oil based degreaser they are toxic and flammable. So if you frequently use oil based degreaser, you may also accumulate Hazardous waste. So extra cost and regulatory requirements might be added to the process. 

[SQFconsultant]

Have client that uses a walnut shell imbedded soap (no nut meat, thus non-allergen.

They replaced their standard soap with this one for everyone, thus only the need for the secondary sanitizer before returning to work.

Not all shell soaps are created the same so be sure to quiry the rep to get the correct one.

Edited by SQFconsultant, 15 February 2023 - 04:00 PM.

[Scotty_SQF]

Some questions I thought of while reading the post...what nature of their tasks are they doing that is getting a build up of food grade grease on their hands?  Is there an over lubrication issue?  Are they then handling the food contact film?  There may be cause to dig deeper into why they are getting a build-up of this grease on their hands.  Though you would know your company's practices better than I would, but it was just a thought.

 

If they are doing something outside of normal operations of running packaging, maybe have them wear gloves, that would solve your problem. Though following the guidelines of glove usage and washing of hands. 

Edited by Scotty_SQF, 15 February 2023 - 04:03 PM.

[SHQuality]

I agree with Scotty. I wouldn't expect anyone except from the technical/repair department from being in prolonged contact with grease.

I wonder if this can't be solved with a change in procedures rather than expensive soap.

[PackageMarshal]

You are all correct in that preventing the grease transfer in the first place is the most ideal solution.  I've not stopped pursuing this objective yet with the production team.  Glove usage may have to be the outcome.

The primary occasion where the grease transfer to hands occurs is the mounting of film roll stock into the converting line.  There is grease on some of the joints of the roll shaft and operators handle this when applying it to a new roll to be mounted.  It's possible for the operators to wear gloves at this point, but this would likely be fought due to the inconvenience of it applying and storing the gloves at the back station area.

[SHQuality]

Is there a particular reason you can't store the gloves closer to the where they are needed?

Like mounting them in a holder on a nearby pillar or on a nearby table or workstation?

 

If you make it as easy as possible to apply, you'll have much less resistance.

Edited by SHQuality, 15 February 2023 - 06:49 PM.

[PackageMarshal]

The persons performing the task attend many machines such that it would likely be more ideal to have a way for them to carry the gloves with them rather than have a set at each station.

 

-Sorry if my information ends up conflicting.  I'm interviewing a number of our staff members myself to get a better handle of the problem and potential solutions.

Edited by PackageMarshal, 15 February 2023 - 08:48 PM.

[jfrey123]

May I also suggest taking a look at the equipment itself?  From your description, it sounds like you've got a set of mechanical joints near a food contact machine that aren't sealing well enough to prevent grease from leaking.  If it's positioned in such a way that grease could leak onto the food, or even has sufficient proximity to the food, an auditor is going to want to write it up against you.

[PackageMarshal]

There isn't really a risk that the grease or oil would drip onto product.  It is located at the very edges of the roll shafts.

Having delved a little more with the operators the operators don't get dirty hands every time because they don't touch the shaft edges every time.  When the rolls are exceedingly wide, operators cannot move the shaft through the roll's core strictly by grabbing the inner shaft as there isn't hardly any of the shaft left exposed such that they will press it wholly through by pressing on the end of the roll where the oil/grease is located.  There is still some distance between the roll of material and the grease area such that there isn't a contamination risk, but it cannot be grabbed as the shaft's chucks become a pinch point (i.e., safety concern).  There have been incidents in the past where the shaft chuck pinched of a bit of a person's thumb's skin.  So now we direct employee's to not press the shaft through with their hands on the chucks.