Water hardness is one of the key factors affecting cleaning products. Between zero and 4 grains is considered soft water and above 7 grains is considered hard water. Chemical labels will outline the product’s effectiveness based on different hardness levels.
Mineral-based impurities also adversely affect cleaning and sanitizing. Iron, manganese, chlorides, and silica can cause staining, corrosion, or filming.
Expect an auditor to test a water sample from the chemical mixing area to verify your chemical program aligns with onsite water conditions. To be prepared, work with your chemical supplier to adjust your chemicals or water supply as needed for optimal efficacy.
Store Chemicals for Safety and Efficacy
Storage is another issue for inspectors, from efficacy as well as worker safety standpoints.
To ensure efficacy, always store chemicals in securely locked containers to prevent product tampering, contamination, or degradation. Store chemical drums and totes in well-ventilated, well-drained areas. Keep them away from sunlight or heat, which can cause oxidation that in turn reduces product potency.
Make sure all chemical containers are labeled. Every bucket or jug used to mix chemicals must have a tag identifying the product or product mixture that it contains. Frequently tour your plant and look for unlabeled materials. Any chemical container without a label is a food and worker safety risk because it creates the potential for its contents to be used improperly.
Ensure worker safety by storing different types of chemicals in separate areas to prevent cross-contamination or toxic mixtures.
Don’t forget to monitor secondary containment—pallets or other structures meant to control spills or leakage from chemical drums/totes. The secondary containment should be rated appropriately for the materials being stored and have no dents, cracks, or punctures to cause product leakage. Be aware of local requirements regarding secondary containment, as regulations can vary from state to state.
Training for Success
You want your plant clean and sanitized for the next day’s production. And above all, you want your sanitation crew to go home safely. Regardless of whether you have an in-house sanitation crew or use a contract sanitation supplier, make sure all workers have a clear understanding of cleaning procedures and how to use chemicals safely and correctly.
Training should cover chemistry basics, including proper storage, mixing, and labeling. Help workers understand the importance of personal protective equipment and how to respond in case of an accident or product spill. Include training on how to operate eyewash stations and showers.
As much as possible, make these training sessions interactive with hands-on experiences. Keep language barriers in mind and translate materials into Spanish or other languages appropriate for your sanitation employee population.
Once workers are trained, they must be well supervised in the food facility to ensure that all chemicals are handled and applied safely and completely.
Even after training has taken place, continue with frequent, ongoing refresher sessions to avoid procedural drift. Document each session, what it covered, and who participated.
Audit-Readiness Means Safe Food
A modern, compliant food facility depends on the often-complex world of sanitation chemicals. Following sanitation best practices at all times will not only keep your plant audit-ready, you’ll have satisfied customers and a productive work force. And when an inspector shows up at your door, keep in mind that audits are really for your benefit—to ensure you can continue to supply your customers with safe, high-quality food products.
Prine is the food safety director at Packers Chemical. Prine and his team work closely with counterparts at Packers Sanitation Services, Inc. (PSSI). Reach him at [email protected]
Ted Moffett ([email protected]), PSSI food safety director and Steve Weiland ([email protected]), PSSI corporate microbiologist, also contributed to this article.
Prove It with This Paperwork!
From an auditor’s perspective, if a procedure isn’t documented it never happened. To stay audit-ready, keep the following sanitation program documents on site and available for inspection.
- Master Sanitation Schedule that details the timetable for cleaning food production areas.
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for every cleaning product, posted where workers can see them. The SDS lists important safety information including precautions and potential hazards that employees should be aware of.
- Technical Data Sheet from the manufacturer that includes product specifications and instructions for use and disposal.
- Cleaning Procedure Manual, describing how to clean the facility and what chemicals are used. This manual should also document how employees are trained to handle and apply chemicals.
- Chemical Inventory Record, documenting chemicals on hand and titration data showing they are used in legal, safe ranges.
- Letter of Guarantee from the chemical supplier to certify the company delivered the correct products to the facility.
Most food processing plants maintain these documents as paper copies, usually in a binder. Others are moving to electronic copies for ease of updating. It is still a good idea to print out hard copies because auditors may not have easy access to your computer system to view the digital files.
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