QM 11.4 Hygiene Code of Practice

INTRODUCTION

The highest standards of cleanliness, personal hygiene and housekeeping are required at WAN JA SHAN INTERNATIONAL LLC, as we supply soy sauce to thefoodindustries.  Our products must be protected in order to minimize the sale of contaminated product to the public.

The following document is issued as a guide into the type of practices that are required in our modern food packaging manufacturing facility.

It is important that ALL personnel employed on this site and any visitors are made aware of their responsibilities and follow the guidelines below.

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR

1. All personnel entering the factory for any reason must wear the appropriate protective clothing, which is provided by the company.  Protective clothing must be clean, worn in the correct manner, and kept in a good state of repair.  Jumpers, cardigans etc., if worn should be on the inside of the protective garments and fully covered.

• Protective clothing should be kept on the premises, changed at least weekly and must not be worn to and from work.

• Company issued hairnets must be worn enclosing all hair and the ears.  Hairnets should be put on prior to other protective clothing and no hairgrips or clips should be worn outside the hairnet.

• Protective clothing when changed should be placed into lockers or the appropriate receptacle.

• When out of hours working such as cleaning of the factory and equipment or stocktaking is taking place protective clothing, including hairnets, must be worn.

• When appropriate only company issue blue gloves should be worn. These are food grade and resistant to shredding. Gloves should be changed at regular intervals and kept in a clean condition.

PERSONAL HYGIENE

1. All personnel should present themselves for work at all times in a clean tidy fashion with a high standard of personal cleanliness.

• All the finger ring and/or a pair of sleeper earrings are not allowed to be worn; the wearing of watches, bangles, bracelets, necklaces, chains, cuff links and stoned rings are prohibited.

• Fingernails should be kept short, clean and free from nail varnish. False fingernails are prohibited.

• The wearing of false eyelashes or false fingernails is not allowed.

• The excessive wearing of strong after-shave or perfume is not allowed nor the use of perfumed hand cream.

• The handling of coins in the production areas is prohibited.

• Before entering the factory all personnel must wash their hands using the antibacterial hand wash at the hand wash basins, hand washing should always be carried out:

• before starting work
• after visiting the toilet
• after breaks
• After smoking

1. Your hands and work area must be wiped using the antibacterial wipes:

• after using a handkerchief.
• after any task where the hands become soiled.
• after touching ears, eyes, nose or any skin infection when handling product
• and regularly throughout production

1. In production the following unhygienic habits are forbidden:

• spitting.
  • scratching your head.
  • scratching or picking spots.
  • picking your nose.
  • coughing or sneezing on product.
  • coughing or sneezing into hands and then handling product without at first washing/wiping hands.
  • using wash basin for washing anything except hands and forearms.

1. Personal belongings such as purses, handbags, coats, hats, newspapers, tobacco, hand cream etc., must be stored in personal lockers and not brought into production areas.

1. Personal clothes and shoes etc. should be placed into the lockers provided and not left lying on tops of the lockers or on the floor.

MEDICAL

1. Any employee suffering from or being diagnosed by their GP as having or carrying any of the following illnesses:

• Typhoid.
• Paratyphoid.
• Salmonella infections.
• Amoebic or bacillary dysentery.
• Staphylococcal infections.
• Cholera.
• Hepatitis A.

must report to Management immediately upon arrival at work.

• Gastric upset causing sickness, vomiting and/or diarrhea must be reported to the Management.

• If you have been in contact with anyone, (family or friends), suffering from vomiting, diarrhea, gastroenteritis, food poisoning or infectious diseases you must report to Management.

• Any employee returning from holiday abroad with any of the above symptoms must report to Management before commencing work.

• All sores, boils, abrasions, infected areas, running noses or ears should be reported to Management.

• Any medicine brought on site must be reported and authorized by the Management. Authorized medicines must be kept locked away to prevent any possible risk of contamination of the product.

• When any of the above is reported, it is the responsibility of Management to decide what action is required.  

FIRST AID*

1. Any employees who cuts or injures themselves at work must report to a first aider immediately.

• Clean wounds should be covered with a ‘blue metal detectable plaster’ by a first aider.  If necessary a fingerstall or glove should cover any dressing.

• Personnel arriving at work with a no prescribed wound dressing shall have it checked and, if necessary, replaced by a first aider.

• Any loss of plaster dressing must be reported to Management immediately.

• All accidents must be recorded in the accident book as soon as possible.

* Refer to QM 5.8 First Aid Amenities and Procedures

FOODSTUFFS AND DRINKS

1. The consuming of sweets (including medicinal lozenges), foodstuffs, or chewing gum in the production areas of the factory is not allowed.

• Food and drinks are only to be consumed in the lunch room.

• Drinks are not allowed to be taken into the production areas of the factory, water may only be taken at the designated water dispensers in production.

SENSORY TESTING OF PRODUCTS

1. Eating or tasting of products in food handling areas is not permitted.

• Sensory testing is only permitted to be carried out by authorized personnel, in a hygienic manner, in taste kitchen areas.

• The equipment and utensils in taste kitchens are not to be removed from the taste kitchen and are to be maintained in a clean and hygienic condition

SMOKING

1. Smoking, chewing tobacco and the taking of snuff is strictly forbidden in the interests of hygiene and safety. 

GLASS/BOTTLES/CERAMICS/BRITTLE PLASTIC

1. Glass, china, bottles, ceramics or brittle plastic of any description must not be brought onto the production floor due to the seriousness of product contamination if a breakage should occur.

• If for any reason there is a breakage the matter must be immediately reported to Management. 

KNIVES

1. Personnel must take care of any knife issued to them.  Knives must never be lent to other personnel.

• Personnel must not take their knife off the premises, under any circumstances

• Any loss or damage to the knife or knife blade must be reported immediately to Management. 

ANIMALS AND BIRDS

1. The bringing of animals or birds onto the factory premises or the encouragement of birds or animals by putting out of food is forbidden.

• Any spillages of foodstuffs or waste should be cleaned up as soon as possible to prevent attraction of animals and birds.      

• All waste food material should be suitably wrapped and placed into a waste bin as soon as possible. 

STATIONERY

1. Drawing pins, staples, rubber bands, paper clips, pins, etc, are not allowed in the factory.

• Tape or red tape must not be used on machines or to attach notices.  Any notices should be laminated and attached with double-sided sticky tape or a bulldog clip.

PREVENTING CONTAMINATION

1. Waste materials should be placed in the proper waste receptacles provided and not left lying around the factory.  A ‘clean as you go’ policy should be adopted.

• The use of any materials likely to cause product contamination in the production areas of the factory, e.g. staples in boxes, should be brought to the attention of the Management.

• Packaging, Products and Ingredients should be kept in the appropriate containers and off the floor.

• Wash down hoses must be stored in the racks provided and not on the floor when not in use.

• It is the responsibility of every employee to immediately report to Management the discovery of contamination in any area of the manufacturing facility that constitutes a risk to product and / or personnel.

• If for any reason an employee feels that contaminated product may have been dispatched to customer(s) they must report the incident to a member of Management immediately. 

• All personnel engaged in any food handling, preparation or processing operations shall ensure that products and materials are handled and stored in such a way as to prevent damage or product contamination.

• Personnel entry to processing areas shall be through the personnel access doors only.

• All doors are to be kept closed.  Doors shall not be left open for extended periods when access for waste removal or receiving of product/ingredient/packaging is required.

1. Packaging material, product, and ingredients shall be kept in appropriate containers as required and off the floor.

1. Waste shall be contained in the bins identified for this purpose and removed from the processing area on a regular basis and not left to accumulate.

PLANT MAINTENANCE

1. No welding, riveting, drilling or soldering is to be carried out on plant, which is being used for production.

• Any part of the factory where construction work is being carried out should be screened off to prevent risk of product contamination.

• On completion of maintenance or construction work the area must be cleaned thoroughly and debris disposed of.

FACTORY TOURS/VISITS

1. It is the responsibility of any member of staff accompanying a visitor around the factory to ensure that they are correctly attired and follow the company hygiene rules.

• All visitors should be informed that there are potential hazards in the factory and asked to exercise care, and caution, bearing in mind:

• that they should not touch and keep loose clothing clear of moving machinery.
• that they should not touch any materials in use.
• that they should be aware of forklift trucks.
• that strict hygiene rules apply in the factory and no smoking is allowed except in permitted areas.
• that noise levels in some areas of the factory may be high and ear protection is available.

The various points mentioned in this document should not be considered exhaustive and everyone is asked to help reduce the slightest risk of product contamination.

Everyone is asked to be on the alert at all times and ask for help from members of Management if they have any concern over any matter relating to hygiene.

All personnel are reminded that this document forms part of the Company Handbook of Procedures and failure to comply could result in disciplinary action