IJCA - Volume 3 - Flipbook - Page 38
36 The International Journal of Conformity Assessment
the ground and the dock entry is important not
only for preventing pests but also for facilitating
easy transfer of materials between trucks and the
warehouse. The design should actively eliminate
potential pest harbors, considering both visible
pests like cockroaches, mice, and birds, as well
as less readily apparent ones like small 昀氀ies and
drain 昀氀y larvae, which thrive in various moisture and
temperature conditions.
Strategic placement of air curtains and adequate
lighting can further deter pests and effectively
manage tra昀케c 昀氀ow.
Components
While automation offers e昀케ciency, equipment like
electronic controls, switches, robots, and light 昀椀xtures
can pose risks to worker safety and create cleaning
challenges. To minimize these issues, it is crucial to
plan equipment needs upfront. This way, entryways,
enclosures, and transport systems can be designed
to achieve the following:
• Minimized handling: Reduce the need for workers to
physically interact with equipment during cleaning.
• Full accessibility: Ensure all equipment surfaces
are easily reachable for thorough cleaning, utilizing
tools such as hoses and cleaning stations.
Organizations like UL Solutions (formerly Underwriters
Laboratories) and NSF International play a vital role in
ensuring food safety. UL conducts conformity testing
on individual components, products, or entire systems
destined for food processing facilities. Both UL and
NSF also offer audits that assess entire facilities and
processes, helping to ensure compliance with safety
and hygiene standards. Additionally, the audits test
for conformity against standards for safety, e昀케cacy,
and cleanability.
Designing Out Hazards Through
Infrastructure Design
When designing or modifying a food processing
facility, it is essential not only to ensure that the
facilities suit their intended purpose but also comply
with legal requirements. For instance, companies
in the U.S. should refer to the U.S. Code of Federal
Regulations and relevant state food codes for speci昀椀c
requirements. Beyond legal requirements, hygienic
design prioritizes protecting food from various
contaminants, including:
• Biological agents (harmful microorganisms).
• Foreign material hazards such as glass, metal,
plastics, or paints that, if not designed properly or
are misplaced, can chip or crack from equipment
or surfaces of the facility and enter the food.
Additionally, facility design should ensure a
secure enclosure that protects the food from 昀椀lth,
soil, animal hairs, and other extraneous items.
• Materials being used on surfaces or as part
of the equipment and infrastructure, which
should adhere to hygienic standards. Hygienic
design should guarantee these do not dissolve
or contribute to chemical hazards in the food.
This includes ensuring that most surfaces are
made of substances such as stainless steel,
nickel, platinum, silver, gold, carbon, aluminum,
chromium, or copper, and should be carefully
selected based on the application and the types
of detergents, sanitizers, or disinfectants that
might be used in this speci昀椀c operation.
Furthermore, relevant assessments may be carried
out by government and city organizations to comply
with building codes and local ordinances. These
assessments aim to verify that the building, its site,
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