The current crisis caused by the coronavirus has highlighted the importance of cleanliness and has placed a stress on the food supply as some people have decided to stockpile food products. Hygiene is crucial in a food manufacturing plant to keep it healthy and running, so here are a few things to know if you work in this industry.
Use the Right Materials within the Facility
Keeping your food processing facility clean is probably the most important part of your work, and facility cleanliness starts with the materials used to build the plant. With a wide variety of corrosive by-products and contaminants that can be found in the plant, you need to ensure that you have proper surfaces on which to handle food so that you can reduce bacterial growth and prevent contamination.
The floor is a key element in facility cleanliness. It needs to be easy to clean to ensure that all potential contaminants can and will be removed. Today, you can buy food manufacturing flooring which can help you maintain the sanitary integrity of the production area. These antimicrobial, polyurethane floors will optimize health security inside your facility.
Teach Your Employees the Importance of Cleanliness
Inside a food manufacturing plant, no matter if you are working a desk job or on the production line, cleanliness is everybody’s duty. All people who walk the floor inside your plant should be aware at all times of the importance of a healthy environment. This means that if an employee notices a spill or any other cleanliness problem, they should notify the person in charge immediately so that the problem can be solved rapidly.
A clean workspace also helps to improve employee safety and productivity. People feel better when they work in a healthy environment, so do not minimize the importance of having a clean workspace for the sake of your workers’ morale. Review the importance of hygiene regularly in staff meetings as well as in training.
Personal Hygiene
Cleanliness protocol goes for personal hygiene as well. As we have been told throughout this COVID-19 crisis, washing our hands regularly is critical to avoid the virus. It is also critical for food manufacturing employees to wash their hands to avoid spreading bacteria. If employees wash their hands and practice good personal hygiene, it will not only keep the food safe but them as well.
Make sure that staff has access to quality personal protective gear such as gloves, hair and beard nets, and shoe covers at all times. Cleanliness is not an area where you want to reduce spending because with one bad case of contamination, you could lose it all.
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