11 replies to this topic

[Procu1234]

Hi all,

 

Not sure if this is a question or a vent, but keen to hear people's thoughts either way!

 

We have a small manufacturing site making ready meals; we are not BRC as we are way too small, however I try to implement as many BRC-advised policies as policy as I want us to be operating at as a high a standard as possible regardless of accreditation etc.

 

We have a staff hygiene policy which clearly states that no nail varnish/extensions/overlays etc can be worn anywhere in the production site. IMO that's pretty standard - we're handling food, so there would be a risk of contamination. This means therefore that if someone has nail varnish on, they can't just don a pair of blue gloves to get past the policy - firstly, we don't allow blue gloves to be worn in food production in most instances as I believe they create a higher risk than regular thorough handwashing, and secondly IMO there would still be a risk from the nail varnish even if wearing gloves, when applying/removing etc.

 

So, no nail varnish full stop, no arguments.

 

Now, our visitor policy states the same thing - no nail varnish. We very rarely have visitors to site to be honest - the only people we may have coming through other than myself are inspectors (a given that they won't be wearing nail varnish!) and the occasional maintenance person (out of hours, but again - unlikely they'll be wearing any!). So until now it's not been an issue. However, the owner of the company (my boss) is coming to site to work a day on the floor (to gain some understanding of how the operation works etc), and has said she won't be removing her false nails and will just wear gloves.

 

If you were in my position, what would your approach to this be?

 

I'm really strict with my production team around all aspects of our hygiene policy, and have called people up before for being in breach. But, this is the boss and if she doesn't want to follow the policy, there's not a whole lot I can do. I'd be interested to hear other's views on whether my approach to making the visitor policy on this the same as the staff policy is too strict - would you allow visitors with nail varnish to wear gloves, even if staff are not? Where would you draw the line between visitor/staff on other aspects of your hygiene/uniform policy etc? 

 

Thanks :)

 

 

[acarver]

If she's going to work on the floor, it's a no.

[Setanta]

I know this is hard. Are you a direct report to her, or do you have a separate boss? I am guessing you report to her. I would talk to her privately.

 

Does she want to expand this business?  Do she want to have a GFSI certification?

Explain why this is a requirement for BRC.

 

As the owner, she carries a lot of impact with how she influences the people working for her. If people see that she doesn't adhere to the rules, there is little incentive for them to. Would she want you to make exceptions for front line employees?

 

Ultimately, she's going to do what she wants, but she should know the repercussions. I hope you have another layer of management between you. 

Good luck!

[Debsday]

We have the same policy. Visitors can wear gloves while on a tour. Some office personnel also have to visit the production area and will wear gloves if needed. None of these people actually do any work or touch product. If someone is going to work on the floor and participate in production they have to follow the rules for any other production worker.Good luck!

[kconf]

It's a tough situation to have to explain food safety to the owner of a food company. Have you talked to her about the impacts of this behavior/attitude on company culture and morale? 

 

If I were in your position I would want to keep my job if I had no other choice. Good luck! 

[Dorothy87]

We have the same policy. Visitors can wear gloves while on a tour. Some office personnel also have to visit the production area and will wear gloves if needed. None of these people actually do any work or touch product. If someone is going to work on the floor and participate in production they have to follow the rules for any other production worker.Good luck!

 

 

Exactly ! 

[jfrey123]

Like the OP, I directly mirrored the employee GMP policy into the Visitor's policy at my first job and ran into conflicts:  my GMP prohibited employees from wearing button down shirts, but auditors would show up wearing them, and it's not as if I can make them go topless; customer sales/procurement people not used to visiting production environments would show up with nails or nail polish totally unaware of GMPs; handful of other types of things. 

 

We risk assessed some exceptions to the employee GMP for these visitors, super basic stuff:  wear a smock that identifies you're a visitor to prevent hazards from clothing, glove hands if nail issues are seen, etc.  Combining these exceptions with requiring an escort at all times, prohibiting visitors from touching open product, and a 6 foot minimum distance from active operations all worked together well and we never got pushback from allowing the stuff after.  Having the exceptions written into the policy was key, as previously the plant manager would just verbally okay any issues he noticed.  We took a hit on our second SQF audit because the plant manager didn't ask or show the auditor where to wash his hands when he entered our active production area ("Well he wasn't going to touch product, so I didn't think I should make him wash his hands..."  What a moron...)

[Procu1234]

Thank you everyone for the replies! I agree that it's probably worth amending our visitor process so they can wear gloves if they have nail varnish (they wear visitor overalls and are guided at all times). The issue in this scenario I suppose is that the boss expects to actively work on the line alongside my operatives, handling food. At which point I would say she is no longer a visitor but effectively a worker, and therefore the same rules as apply to them should apply to her. But as has been pointed out... she is the boss, and I would like to keep my job...! 

 

Oh the joys :D 

[Tony-C]

I agree that it's probably worth amending our visitor process so they can wear gloves if they have nail varnish (they wear visitor overalls and are guided at all times). ........ But as has been pointed out... she is the boss, and I would like to keep my job...! 

 

Oh the joys :D 

 

Hi Procu1234,

 

I think that is a sensible conclusion but my main concern with your situation is the false nails which are likely to be a choke hazard so I would cover that off as well and have your policy state that visitors are not permitted to handle food.

 

Your boss is clearly a dinosaur, perhaps get some of these type posters with no false nails & no nail varnish put up?:

 

 Dinosaur Hygiene.png   1.03MB   0 downloads

 

Good luck, it might be worth taking the week off 

 

Kind regards,

 

Tony

Edited by Tony-C, 27 September 2024 - 03:27 AM.

[ChristinaK]

I would bring it up to her in private that  making her an exception to the rule will have a negative impact on the regular production workers, especially if she is actively touching and working with exposed food. If the production workers see that she can have false nails and get away with just wearing gloves, they will think that the rule is not important, and will be less likely to take food safety rules seriously.

 

If you have a very good relationship with her, I'd even go as far to tell her that it could be considered disrespectful to not follow all of the rules and expectations set for the employees...but if you aren't like that with one another, I would keep that thought to myself, haha.

[Lynx42]

You can ask her which is cheaper, taking off the nails and reapplying them later, or a recall if any varnish chips off or a nail is missing.

If she does keep the nails on, how are you going to ensure that none chip off into the food?

[G M]

... the owner of the company (my boss) is coming to site to work a day on the floor (to gain some understanding of how the operation works etc), and has said she won't be [following the same food safety rules everyone else is expected to follow]...

 

That statement says a lot about her commitment to the product safety and brand, and her leadership style.  Unfortunately, neither is very flattering.  Not being willing to lead by example, and disregarding food safety for personal vanity.

 

Not knowing how the facility works or what the work is like without spending a day with the plebs isn't great either.  How did she get to that position without already knowing those things?