Physical hazards
Hazards
• Broken teeth • Cuts in mouth • Choking
(However, all physical contaminants must be controlled to comply with legislation)
Raw materials
Pebbles, snails, stalks, leaves, wood, glass, insects, rodents, bone cartilage and hide
Control
Approved suppliers/specifications
Keep sources of contamination out of food rooms
Packaging material
• (Also containers and returnable containers, e.g. milk bottles)
• Staples, cardboard, string, fibres, cloth, glass, rubber, plastic, wood and polythene
Control
• Care when deboxing
• Detection systems (metal/magnet/x-ray)
• Care with waste disposal
Structure/equipment/notice boards/cleaning
Wood, nuts and bolts, plaster, paint flakes, grease/oil, glass, drawing pins, cloths and bristles
Control
• Care with maintenance and cleaning activities
• Good design
• Use non-corroding materials
• Avoid temporary repairs
• Glass policy (diffusers, no glass in food areas)
• Care with use and storage of cleaning chemicals
Personnel/visitors
Jewellery, fingernails, buttons, combs, pen tops, sweet papers, cigarette ends and hair.
Maintenance operatives/pest control contractor/cleaning contractor
NB Sabotage – disgruntled employee
Control
Good personal hygiene/training
Pests/pesticides
Rodents, droppings, hair, bait, insects, eggs, larvae and nymphal moults
Control
Integrated pest management
General detection methods
Sieves and filters, illuminated inspection belts, spotters, metal detectors, magnets, x-ray equipment (detection
below 1mm depending on product speed), optical, colour sorters, air/liquid separators. Training of maintenance operatives.
Effectiveness of machines depends on · Specification · Maintenance
· Settings · Age and use
· Testing frequency and parameters
· Staff training/supervision
Metal detectors
· Food passed through magnetic field – metal distorts field – alarm – food rejected (compressed air)
· Rejected food in secure container – retested · Reason for rejection fully investigated
· Effectiveness – checked e.g. hourly with test packs
· Limitations – ferrous/non ferrous, stainless steel,
aluminium foil
· Size and position of contaminant