Rezoning from High Risk to Medium Risk
Hello All,
We were dinging in our audit because we have our hand cleaning and boot cleaning station inside of a high risk zone. We are looking to put in a guard or wall of some sort to "block off" the area and rezone it.
The question is, do we need to have a fully enclosed room (which requires the fire sprinkler moving and all that fun), or can we put up permanent barriers and self closing gates to justify the rezone?
The section of the code is this: 11.4.1.3 The flow of personnel in food processing and handling areas shall be managed such that the potential for contamination is minimized.
Comments from the auditor: The employee entrance door leading into the operation is missing intervention steps leading into the High-Risk area.
A guard rail that guides people past the wash facilities, instead of allowing free flow into the production area should be sufficient.
That is presuming that there aren't processes or equipment that would splatter or otherwise contaminate people and their clean hands in close proximity to the sink/entrance -- in which case some more substantial segregation would be in order.
"Intervention Steps" in the auditor comments is somewhat vague though, are you sure they weren't just referring to signage or other guides indicating proper entry GMPs?
A guard rail that guides people past the wash facilities, instead of allowing free flow into the production area should be sufficient.
That is presuming that there aren't processes or equipment that would splatter or otherwise contaminate people and their clean hands in close proximity to the sink/entrance -- in which case some more substantial segregation would be in order.
"Intervention Steps" in the auditor comments is somewhat vague though, are you sure they weren't just referring to signage or other guides indicating proper entry GMPs?
I think it is because there is a sign stating on the door that we need to wash and sanitize boots BEFORE entering in the area. I was thinking of removing that sign and just have a sign stating we are entering a High Risk Zone.
Hi ForestM,
I am surprised it wasn’t raised regarding clause 11.7.1.4:
Staff engaged in high-risk areas shall change into clean clothing and footwear or temporary protective outerwear when entering high-risk areas. Staff access points shall be located, designed, and equipped to enable staff to change into the distinctive protective clothing and practice a high standard of personal hygiene to prevent product contamination.
I think what you are planning is fine as long as there are not risks of contamination despite the barriers such as from air.
Kind regards,
Tony
Hi ForestM,
I am surprised it wasn’t raised regarding clause 11.7.1.4:
Staff engaged in high-risk areas shall change into clean clothing and footwear or temporary protective outerwear when entering high-risk areas. Staff access points shall be located, designed, and equipped to enable staff to change into the distinctive protective clothing and practice a high standard of personal hygiene to prevent product contamination.
I think what you are planning is fine as long as there are not risks of contamination despite the barriers such as from air.
Kind regards,
Tony
There is no risks. It was a poorly executed zone of the plant by the first manager (not placing blame, just was not thinking of the implications they made when they made the zoning). It is very far away from a true high risk zone, and the product is fully packaged at this point.
Thanks for the comments.
These questions are always hard due to different layouts of buildings we all work in. At a meat processing plant I'm involved with, we have two rooms pretty centralized in the building that are high risk, surround by low risk storage areas, entrances from the offices, and the main employee entrance. There are hand wash sinks inside the high risk at every entrance, with spray foamers that spray the entire width of every entrance into the high risk. The employee entrance is slightly different: a vestibule just outside the processing rooms with racks of their clean smocks, huge wall of handwash sinks to accommodate shift change, and then spray foamers just as they enter high risk. If I'm remembering correctly, the office entrance into the second high risk room does have a guard rail of some type to "force" people to walk to the sink before the go on into the room.
Sharing way too many details just to say I don't think it needs to be fully segregated. Little partition wall or a guard rail, anything that prevents someone from walking into the room without washing hands or having their boots washed should be sufficient.