6 replies to this topic

[bnue]

At our baking production facility on hot days  the door which seperates the warehouse from the production area is often left open and the reason provided is to exhaust the heat from the baked products into the warehouse for the safety of the employees. Isn't there a food safety risk in doing this? Please can the experts provide their thoughts on this?
 
Despite explaining to the production employees to abstain from doing this they revert back to the doing the same thing the minute we turn our backs.

[SQFconsultant]

Yes, there is potential for contamination.  Better idea would be to tell you employees that the company will find a solution to the inadequate ventilation of the plant and then do something about it.

[Setanta]

No auditor will look kindly on that.  I would suggest that the company make the exhaust better.

 

That being said, bakeries and summer = warm temps, no two ways about that.

[bnue]

Will there be negative pressure in the bakery created by the window-mounted and oven exhaust systems which will cause air to flow in from the warehouse into the bakery even when the doors are closed?

 

As per production manager "keeping the door closed or open should not be an issue as all they are doing is blowing the hot air into the warehouse"

[wizo11]

Installation of Exhaust system should be the solution.

[Gourav]

Improving the exhaust is the solution. You can not explain that by keeping the door open we are blowing the hot air out. The warehouse is dirty area compared to production area so there has to be physical separation. Blowing the hot air out is must and should be a controlled operation by use of exhaust and same time you need to blow fresh cooled air into bakery. Another problem with keeping the door open is potential pest entry from warehouse into bakery. So you need to stop it ASAP.

Thanks

Gourav 

[Mr. Incognito]

While I agree with the idea of having positive ventilation in the production area to protect against unwanted contamination of the product you also have to be mindful that if that system failed at any time, even momentarily, it could cause contamination to flow in.

 

The bigger problem I have with this issue is pest control.  Pests come in on pallets, in shipments, though bay and man doors, etc.  Giving them a direct path into the production room is a really bad way to do business.  It is my suggestion that you push management hard to install better ventilation for that purpose alone, with it being properly protected against intrusion by flying pests.