The Risks of Non-Food-Safe Hygiene Solutions in Manufacturing
Whether you’re in manufacturing, processing, or the distribution of food-related products, it’s of the utmost importance to invest in high-efficiency, food-safe hygiene solutions to keep your factory at the level of cleanliness it needs to be for meeting regulations.
Why? Because of the many risks involved in using low-grade, unapproved chemicals in businesses pertaining to consumable items.
To purchase cleaning equipment, disinfectants, and detergents that are usable in high-risk manufacturing plants, see our product range online.
What Happens When You Use the Wrong Hygiene Solutions?
Food-safe solutions get rid of a larger percentage of germs and bacteria than generic ones, which in turn lower the chances of food-borne illnesses stemming from the use of your products. If a non-food-grade product is used in the sanitation of surfaces, machinery, and an employee’s hands, then not all harmful organisms are killed.
At the same time, a food-grade cleanser is less likely to be lethal to employees in the case of a small amount being ingested than a random bottle of disinfectant purchased at your local retail outlet.
Any food-related health issues that occur among customers who consume your products can result in lawsuits, fines, and even business closure. However, only buying the right chemicals isn’t enough to ensure a safe environment for manufacturing.
Proper procedures need to be put in place so that employees know how to use the hygiene solutions as well.
How to Work With Chemicals in Food Factories
To make sure employees know what to use when, follow the tips below when introducing new chemicals to the workplace:
- Always read the manufacturer’s notes, ingredients, and directions for use on every detergent, soap, or sanitiser prior to using it.
- Colour-code or label chemicals according to their uses, and match them up with a guide, available to all staff members for reference.
- Disinfectants and sanitisers only work to destroy all necessary bacteria and microorganisms if left on for a certain amount of time. Add these times to your quick guide.
- Have regular staff-training workshops to make sure labourers don’t forget the correct protocols because they haven’t had to perform the tasks for some time.
- Remember that no cleaning product is meant for consumption and all surfaces that food will touch need to be thoroughly rinsed with water after a hygiene solution has been used on it.
- Make emergency numbers available to workers, so that they can phone if they have a reaction to chemicals.
Whether or not food-safe hygiene solutions are used, there’s only one way to prevent outbreaks in manufacturing. This is by teaching the people who work there to use the detergents correctly.
Automated Hygiene Solutions for Staff Sanitation
Another contamination risk, directly related to employees, is if your staff members don’t follow proper self-hygiene procedures when coming to and going from work or between breaks.
Let’s face it, most workers don’t think about the consequences of them not following rules and regulations set in place by management. If the soap and sanitiser dispensers aren’t enough encouragement for employees to wash their hands when re-entering the facility after lunch, install automated access control at all high-risk area entrances.
These devices are specifically designed to only allow employees through who have followed the steps set out by the machines to prevent outside bacteria from entering. Pescatech stocks different automated hygiene equipment to choose from. Browse them online and let us know when you’re ready for a quote.
