Color Code System

Looking for idea's/suggestions on how others color code their utensils, etc. I am in the process of revamping ours due to some discrepancies in the interpretation, as well as some gray area's in the policy. For example, white = food contact and red = non-food contact ... now the piece of framework that is 6 inches above the product zone is technically not a food contact piece of framework so operator's will use red, despite it being directly above food contact. I have cringed at this and have started changing behaviors and mindsets, but want to lay out the policy better so that this will be easier for everyone to understand.

So, I am interested in how many colors do you use? Where do you stop the use of one color and go to another? Are overheads cleaned with one color, and floors a different? Restrooms? Outside? etc.

        Brush, Mop, Broom & Squeegee Colors:

        White items are for non-pasteurized food contact surfaces

        Yellow items are for food contact exterior surfaces

        Green items are for janitorial use only

        Blue items are for floors and walls

        Black items are for drains, trash compactor room, and outside dock areas only

        Red items are for allergens

        Purple items are for pasteurized food contact surfaces

                   Scoop Colors:

White scoops are used for non-allergenic food ingredients

Red scoops are for allergens only

Blue scoops are for use of glue only

(Just FYI ) Something to go along with this, if you are using a color-coding system it should be stated in job descriptions that deciphering of colors is a qualifying requirement. 

Thanks for the feedback!

One question - yellow being food contact exterior surfaces --> what is meant by that?

(Just FYI ) Something to go along with this, if you are using a color-coding system it should be stated in job descriptions that deciphering of colors is a qualifying requirement. 

This is true - some people who are color blind can not distinguish between green and red.  Suckers!  http://www.color-bli...st/#prettyPhoto

We use -

Green for food contact

Blue for non food contact

Black for drains

White for milk chocolate

Yellow for dark chocoalte

Red for allergens

Grey for trash.

I have had complaints from auditors about the allergens - many would like to see different colors for each of the big 8.  But we have 6 of them in the factory!  Easier just to clean the tools every time.

To MM's point on allergens - I've heard of this also - we currently only handle one... barely, LOL (Coconut)

We are a juice processor - we use white on the inside of the tanks (food contact interior) , yellow on the outside (food contact exterior) Its our way of saying "dont use the same brush on the walls as you do on the outside of the tanks" 

This is true - some people who are color blind can not distinguish between green and red.  Suckers!  http://www.color-bli...st/#prettyPhoto

 

We use -

Green for food contact

Blue for non food contact

Black for drains

White for milk chocolate

Yellow for dark chocoalte

Red for allergens

Grey for trash.

 

I have had complaints from auditors about the allergens - many would like to see different colors for each of the big 8.  But we have 6 of them in the factory!  Easier just to clean the tools every time.

Love the color vision test- I am gonna start making all the new hires take this! I got a 42!! (I think part of it was that I lost patience with it... gosh that takes a long time!)

Has anyone implemented colored utensils and sanitation tools, where appropriate - and if so, which tool company is your favorite to use? There are so many and we are having a hard time distinguishing a good tool company from a bad one.