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Top 5 Control Tactics to Help Minimize Risk for Food Safety Workers During COVID-19.

As the world prepares to gradually reopen in the SARS-VoV-2 (COVID-19) era, it is important to follow safety measures regulated by the Food and Agriculture Sector, FDA, and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) At CERTDOX, we know our Food Safety software and the services we provide are essential during and after the Coronavirus Pandemic.  Food Safety workers are the lifeforce of this industry.  We make sure they have the necessary tools to stay compliant to ensure the health and safety of your overall operation and staff.  Here are our top five control tactics to help minimize risk for Food Safety Workers during COVID-19.

 

1. Disinfect all contact areas including break rooms, table surfaces, bathrooms, shared spaces, lockers, offices, supply room, and other common areas. This should be done every hour.
2. Use safe screening measures include checking staff temperature upon arrival and have all whom enter be surveyed for symptoms.
3. Keep hand sanitizers and sanitization stations available for frequent use at entrance points at the facility.
4. Stagger shifts and lunch breaks. You can split up your employees to work different hours to avoid overlapping more people on the floor than necessary.  These workflow modifications are key to keeping safe social distancing during COVID-19.
5. Have a plan in place for increased absenteeism if people become infected with COVID-19. If a worker gets sick, gather information about that worker’s contacts to identify other workers who may be exposed to the virus.

 

As we continue to learn more about COVID-19, there is no evidence suggesting if an inspector in a food processing plant becomes infected with COVID-19, that the food produced would not be safe to eat.   The CDC suggests that the virus spreads person to person trough respiratory droplets that can land in the mouths or noses of people who are within six feet of one another. For meat and poultry industries, The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is encouraging establishments to follow the recommendations of local public health authorities regarding notification of potential contacts. In addition, the FDA has a dedicated website for all who work in the food safety industry to follow as well.

Call today (305) 418-0300 for a free consultation to ensure Food and Safety requirements are met. Certdox can help keep your business operations compliant and up to date.  We make the process simple.