The Quick-Frozen Foodstuffs Regulations, 1990 (SI. No. 2615) amended 1994
Food that has undergone quick-freezing (i.e. whereby the zone of maximum crystallization as rapidly as possible) should be labelled as such. It must be suitably packaged so as to protect it from microbial and other contamination and also to protect from de-hydration.
Must be labelled with:
- BBE
- Storage requirements including temps.
- Batch reference
- A clear message not to refreeze after defrosting.
There are also some specific legislation relating to food poisoning:
Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1994
The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations, 1988 (SI. No. 1546)
National Health Service (Amendment) Act 1986
The National Health Service (Food Premises) Regulations, 1987 (SI. No. 18)
The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS)
These pieces of legislation relate to reports of incidences of food poisoning and food borne illness. It empowers officers to investigate food premises on the basis of risk to increased infection, and to identify the source of food poisoning illnesses.
Separate to food related issues there are also a number of other pieces of legislation that apply to most businesses. These are:
Health & Safety
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, 1994 (SI. No. 3246)
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation, 1985 (SI. No. 2023)
The Electricity at Work Regulations, 1989 (SI. No. 635)
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 2051)
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 3004)
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 2966)
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 2793)
All of these laws are in relation to keeping equipment in good order; provide all PPE, also in good order, and to report all accidents and medical problems caused by/ at work.
There are some new environmental legislation in relation to waste water and effluent, and also the climate change levy.
There are also waste land fill laws (After B.S.E. and Foot and Mouth no food wastes can be further processed into animal feeds)
It is clear that there are a lot of laws that help to keep the consumer, and employees safe, both in relation to food safety and personal safety. In order to comply with all of these laws, and check with the company’s compliance to these, the office of fair trading and the environmental health office audit the factory on a regular basis.
Key Findings
Summations on Audit checklists
Section by section review
HACCP System:
The company has a very detailed and comprehensive HACCP system following the Codex principles and based on risk assessment for each product type.
The latest revision is June 2002. The HACCP documentation includes Introduction (Intro, team, product description, intended use, flow diagram, and verification of flow, controls and hazards), Process flow (product, production process), Hazards, Hazard analysis and Hygiene controls.
The site technical manager who is qualified in advance food hygiene leads the HACCP team. The other HACCP team members include the production manager, financial director, business consultant, Q.A. supervisor and H&S officer. They have all received training in HACCP principles.
Eight CCP’s have been identified and clearly marked around the site. These include; R.M. intake, band saw room, product storage, packaging storage, coatings, sauce making, sauce buggies, sauce deposition and metal detection.
Shetland SeaFish (in conjunction with Cravenglow consultant limited) has produced a handbook for employees entitled “Understanding HACCP and the British Retail Consortium Quality Award”. This book was issued to all staff before going through their first successful BRC audit, and is issued to new staff during induction. The Handbook explains; HACCP terms and working practices, details the eight CCP’s, How to control potential Hazards, How HACCP works, Different types of Hazard, other important HACCP information and an introduction to the BRC standard
Quality Management System:
The site operations/quality manual has been fully implemented and indexed in the latest revision (Revision 4 October 2002) to the BRC technical standard version three.
Policies and procedures referenced to the HACCP manual and currently cover all of the identified critical controls.
Each working area has its own handbook that includes some or all of the following:
Factory cleaning procedures
Technical terms
Key staff
Safe working practices
Factory procedures
QA procedures applicable to the area.
A specifications file maintained by the company has a programme of internal audits that cover the entire quality system twice per year.
The handling of complaints is the responsibility of the Technical manager. Complaints are referenced individually, by customer, and complaint type. Corrective actions arising from complaints are recorded.
An approved supplier list is in operation, deliveries assessed at intake, and supplier performance reviewed quarterly. One of the key findings of this audit has been that although the supplier audit plans clearly defined and laid out, it has not been adhered to. This needs rectifying by the time of the next audit.
Factory Environmental Standards:
The factory is well located just off the main route into Hull, and has a logical process flow.
The buildings are well constructed. Walls panelled with false ceiling and smooth concrete floors.
Equipment is industry standard and is be well maintained. There is a planned maintenance system administered by a well-resourced engineering department.
Staff changing facilities are provided by separate storage of work wear and personnel wear with staff locker rooms situated well away from production. Work clothing situated in changing facilities on the entrance to the production facility.
A dedicated night hygiene crew operate a comprehensive cleaning programme, verified using bioluminescence ATP swabs. This form of assessment is under utilised. By conducting more swabs, a more indicative trend analysis can be compiled. This system could also be extended to incorporate hand swabbing, so as to gauge the effectiveness of the staffs hand washing.
A comprehensive pest control contract is in place with “Rentokil” and no infestation reported. The only addition to this regime would be to introduce catch tray analysis. This is not done at present, although Rentokil have been asked to provide a quote for the service. The reason that catch tray analysis is so important is that various indicator species of insect may help to identify a particular problem within the factory. Another option is that the accountant is a qualified entomologist. The suggestion has been made that they complete the catch tray analysis on behalf of the company.
Transport and waste removal are both contracted out services.
Product Control:
There is a product development procedure detailing the process steps and documentation held for customer driven development work. Development work is mainly restricted to crumbs, batters and sauces and as such, the suppliers of these materials carry out a lot of the work.
Product is analysed on line hourly by trained QC staff
External chemical and microbiological analyses are carried out at a UKAS accredited external laboratory. The result turn around is typically ten days. There is an investigation into the possibility of bringing the microbiological testing into a feasible in-house solution. The testing procedures preferred are the rapid methods that are now available on the market. These allow for rapid enumeration and identification in unprecedented speeds compared to traditional plating methods. Because of the simplicity of the tests, it reduces the degrees of error that might be entertained in old style methods, and also it helps to simplify the lab quality manual. All of these rapid methods are AOAC accredited methods and are thus suitable for ISO 17025 standards, which is a pre-requisite for the accreditation edicts stated for BRC compliance.
Products coded to allow stock rotation, and on-site stock levels kept to a minimum. The cold store has the capacity for approximately 600 pallets, which are on a mobile racking system.
Metal detection is carried out on all products at 3.5mm non-fe and 3.5mm fe. Legislation is on the way to incorporate testing using S. Steel rods as well, using the same sensitivity levels.
Product is released based on on-line QC testing. A non-conformance procedure is used to prevent the despatch of non-conforming product and its restriction to quarantine.
Process Control:
Control of sauce cooking and processing is closely monitored by QC and thermographs are in place to verify sauce cooking profiles.
QC also regularly verifies process parameters and freezer temperatures. Continuous quantity control monitoring equipment is in place on the coated fish line.
Check-weigh systems are calibrated at the start of each day following a detailed calibration procedure.
Hourly QC checks and daily taste panels verify process parameters and specifications requirements have been fulfilled and all measuring equipment is calibrated at appropriated frequencies.
A small amount of kosher product is processed on site and the delivery processing and despatch of kosher materials is closely monitored.
Personnel:
Staffs trained to NVQ levels 1 and 2 in hygiene and safe product handling by external consultants. Plans are in place to introduce an in-house training scheme. The Q.A. supervisor holds a CIEH certificate of Advanced Food Hygiene. Once they complete the CIEH professional trainers’ certificate, it will allow them to train new staffs, and re-iterate to current, basic food hygiene and H&S.
Hygiene rules are also available in the staff handbook, given at induction.
Induction includes hygiene and H&S requirements, fire drill procedures including a tour of the facility (highlighting emergency exits), company objectives and the review of the individual’s accountability level.
Staff and visitors complete a basic medical questionnaire before entering the factory.
Protective clothing provided and laundered by “Brooks” based in Hull and only specialising in laundering of food industry clothing.
Supervisory staff and line leaders trained to NVQ levels 3. Detailed training records are in place, but not review on a frequent basis.
Improvement strategy
Recommendations on enhancement
Why did it fail? What can be done?
The overall result of this audit is promising. The main sections that are in need of improvement are the cleaning and management systems.
With regards to the cleaning controls one of the biggest deficiencies is that there were no daily cleaning logs in place at the time of the audit. These are necessary to verify that all of the pieces of equipment that has been used during the course of the production shift have been cleaned effectively. This should also incorporate a list of equipment that needs weekly or monthly cleaning, similar to the engineers’ protective maintenance system.
Provisions are in place to indicate cleaning frequency, but by combining this with a daily cleaning log a system of records can be obtained to help with any ‘Due Diligence’ defences that might need to be called into play. The preventative step to reduce the microbial and soil loads within the factory are the cleaning schedules, but the due diligence defence are the daily logs. These are a record confirmation that the schedule has been implemented, and also provides accountability of who conducted the particular action that might be in question. It also helps the management team to assess the manning levels required for a particular cleaning regime.
By combining these logs with an effective utilisation of the Lightning ATP hygiene verification system it would be possible to more accurately monitor the effectiveness of the cleaning systems that are in place. At present the unit is not used at levels that are going to supply the monitoring team with a set of results that are statistically significant. By increasing the levels of testing with the unit, a better picture of cleanliness levels can be obtained by using the trend analysis software to scrutinize past results and to predict problems that might occur in the future.
This system could also be extended to apply to incorporate hand washing checks. This could be done on a random set of checks throughout the week. It might be possible to correlate this to the expected and actual bacterial soap usage rates to see if there is a relationship. This might be an extra way to monitor the effectiveness of the staff in the own personal hygiene in relation to hand washing.
The engineers need to keep an inventory of parts as a repair is carried out so that all pieces are accounted for upon completion so as to eliminate the possible physical contamination problem, or at least to identify if there is one.
A number of hose pipes were observed around the factory, liberally strewn on the floor. This is not bad GMP; it also creates an impression of untidiness and not caring for not only visitors, but also to other staff. Perhaps the purchasing or some hose reel storage units. If these hoses were kept on one of these units, it would automatically reel in and is then kept neatly on the wall, off the floor and out of the way of people walking around the factory.
During the course of the audit the food waste skip was left open. This leaves the door open to many potential problems. The first is that it has a potential to attract pests. By leaving the skip doors open is may provides a food source for advantageous vermin.
It was observed that there were some birds on the fence which might have been attracted by the residue surrounding the skip. To eliminate this problem construction of a reaching handle for the skip door should be made.
By keeping the skip door closed it prevents vermin from entering the skip to scavenge for food. With the skip door closed, thus stopping pests from gaining a free food store, the area around the skip must be kept clear also; otherwise keeping the door closed is a futile effort.
This area not only needs to be swept, but also cleaned down with a detergent to emulsify the fatty residue left from the batter scraps. This would also help to make the area safer for the employees as it would make the area left prone to causing slippages, and this is especially important as there is a small set of steps out there.
There is no provision for persons to wash their hands upon re-entering the factory after going to the food skip. There person would have to go to the basins outside the packaging area. A small basin or alcohol station should be installed to prevent this.
The main body of the factory was in very good condition. There were a few incidences that need to be rectified in order to improve the grade.
Around the sauce making area, the ceiling tiles above them had some signs of mould growth. This is an indication that the ventilation is perhaps inadequate for that area. Some form of steam extraction unit might need to be investigated in that area. In the short term, regular cleaning with a sterilizer (with some form of mould growth inhibitor) would suffice, but this would only deal with the symptoms, and not deal with the route cause.
The sauce agitators in this area are in need of recovering. The motors on the agitators have some small areas of paint flaking from them. Even though the paint is blue in colour, it provides a potential physical contamination problem. This needs to be tackled in several ways.
The first and easiest to do is to recover the motors. The motors can be covered with a stainless steel covering which would prevent both paint flakes falling into the sauce, but also dirt accumulation on the motor.
Another method is to use an alternative agitator motor. There are several on the market, and several of these are not mounted directly above the sauce making kettles.
There are also some other methods for sauce production, that if increased production were to be required, then they should defiantly be investigated.
Another area in the factory that could benefit from additional extraction/ventilation is directly surrounding the coating line. When the fryer is producing breaded products, then the first stage crumb, which is a fine crumb, causes a lot of dust to be blown in the air. This causes excessive dust accumulation on the pipe works above the fryer line. This needs additional cleaning to remove the dust in this area. Perhaps a form of extraction system should be investigated in this area.
As a minor point, there was also a small pool of water surrounding the con-air compressor units. This implies that the floor does not bevel in the right direction. Again this is a situation that has a long term objective, but also has a short term measure.
The long term goal is to re-lay the floor in that area to make the floor slope in the right direction (i.e. from the wall to the drain). The short term solution is to have the cleaners regularly squeegee the floor of water.
Standing water is a particular problem in that it provides excellent breeding ground for Listeria spp. Bacteria. Listeria is a food borne bacteria that is naturally found in the environment. By providing pools of standing water, it magnifies the problem and opens the potential for increased incidences of Listeria monocytogenes poisoning.
It is a strange practice that although there are manager and team leader meetings on a regular basis, there were no supervisor meetings held. This is a gross deficiency, not for GMP, but for the lack of communicational strokes that are missed from these meetings.
By conducting these meetings a dialogue can be maintained between the higher levels of management and the junior levels. During these sessions company objectives can be relayed, problems considered, and grievances examined.
It is also an excellent opportunity to provide motivation to the staff and to keep them apprised of important happenings within the company, such as potential sales, production turnover, NPD and the direction of the company. These meeting should be implemented effectively immediately. If not in their own right, then try combining the team leader meetings. This may pose a problem with truthful communication if the team leaders feel inhibited by the presence of the supervisors, especially if they have any grievances with them.
The omission of the supervisor meetings exacerbates the next point. That is the cross communication of ideas and instructions between departments. This point is discussed in more detail in the second overview of the audit.
The job descriptions that are in place for the key positions within the factory are deficient in the totality. I would suggest a review of these be taken with the specific aim to include the individuals’ main duties and responsibilities, full accountability, and any health and safety requirements that are obligatory to know.
By providing a comprehensive description it helps the individual to identify their own progress against what is expected of them. It would also help to identify any training needs by comparing what the individuals’ actual abilities to what is needed for that position. During an appraisal a gauge of competency can be made against the standard and a measure of feedback can be relayed to the person.
This also ties into the fact that no records are kept of personal record reviews. These need to be conducted on a regular occasion, and if they are being conducted at the moment, then they need to be recorded.
There are some clear objectives that have been identified and now need to be applied and rectified to improve the factory as a whole.
Conclusions
Overview of progression stratagems
Step by step guide
Structure and Fabric
- Hand washing basin/ alcohol station to be installed by exit to food skip.
- Foods skip needs to be looked at and a handle constructed to enable the lid to be closed.
- Sauce kettles needs to be looked at for possible installation of extraction units.
- Sauce agitator motors needs to be covered to prevent paint flaking into product.
- Hose pipes to be placed into self reeling units.
- Pool of water needs investigating around con-air units. Floor needs re-laying in that area.
- Dust accumulation above fryer area. Additional extraction needed.
Pest prevention
- Pallet shed door needs to be kept closed. Pallets stored away from walls in storage.
- Some drain covers missing and needs replacing.
- Catch tray analysis needs to be done.
Cleaning systems
- Daily cleaning logs introduced.
- Engineers inventory of parts during a repair to prevent contamination.
- Effective utilisation, and expansion, of ATP hygiene monitoring system.
Management Controls
- Introduction of supervisor meetings.
- Additional training to supplement and increase knowledge of GMP systems, Food hygiene and legislation.
- Review of job descriptions.
- Record employee appraisals.
References
Background / further reading.
Including bibliography
Hygiene for Management, Sprenger. R. A. 1998 (8th Ed)
Cleaning, Dillion M, et al
Inspirational Supervisor, Shaw J. 1999
FdSc Food manufacture management GMP Course work notes, Dillion M. 2002
Log book
&
Overviews
Overviews
Part 1: Basic findings from two sections of the manual.
Section 1 – Structure and Fabrication
The factory has a logical process flow and the buildings are of sound construction. All internal factory wall surfaces are panelled with a lowered false ceiling and smooth resin floors. Equipment is industrial food grade standard and appears to be well maintained. A preventative planned maintenance system is in operation and resourced by a competent engineering department. The work wear is situated in a separate clean changing area immediate on entrance to the production area. The pest control is out-sourced to Rentokil (initial services) with no signs of infestation problems to report.
OBS 1: The floor is made of an impervious material and when combinations of two immiscible liquids (such as oil and water) mix, it causes some sections of the floor around the fryer area are slippery.
Recommendation – Review the cleaning schedule for this area to include a protocol stating that the floor in that area is to be cleaned as often as required throughout the production day, in addition to the usual scheduled cleans. Another suggestion would be to use a floor covering/mat to make the area more non-slip.
Timescale – 30days
OBS 2: There was a small pool of standing water around the con-air units during production.
Recommendation – The long-term goal would be to re-lay/repair that section of floor to provide an adequate slope to provide water run-off into the drainage channels. Action to be taken place in the mean while would be to revise the cleaning schedule to include that the area is to be cleared as often as required throughout the production day.
Timescale – 90 days
OBS 3: There was no steam extraction above the sauce making kettles giving rise to N/C1.
N/C1: Evidence was noted by observation and noted, audit checklist ref: GMP Section 1 –ref 1.8.2, that there was the beginnings of mould build up on the ceiling tiles above the sauce kettles.
Recommendation – Investigate the possible methods of fume extraction best suited to the needs of the task. Possible installation of an extractor cowling. Action that can be introduced quickly is that a revision of the cleaning schedule to include weekly/fortnightly/ or as required cleaning to be undertaken in that area using a detergent with mould growth inhibitor.
Timescale – 90days
Section 2 – Storage Facilities
Storage or R.M, WIP, finished goods, packaging and tainting elements are well segregated with observed codes of practice to prevent cross contamination. Products are coded to allow stock rotation on a FIFO basis and the stock levels that are kept on site are kept to a minimum. There are no contractual off-site storage facilities used. Products are released on the basis of on-line QC testing. Procedures are in place regarding damaged or defective goods segregation and disposal.
OBS 1: Only visual checks are made of the contracted out logistics company’s vehicles.
Recommendation – Revise an audit schedule to visit their head office so as to not only audit the vehicles used for the transportation of goods, but also to review the company policies and procedures regarding GMP practices.
Timescale – 90days
Part 2: Area to improve.
The area of greatest need is management control, especially in relation to motivation of staffs and inter-departmental communication. A highly motivated workforce can increase the potential output efficiency greatly, without the need for costly capital expenditure.
“Poor communication is the catalyst for future problems”
John Shaw, Business consultant
The vast majority of problems within the workplace arise due to the lack of or inadequate communication between colleagues.
All members of the organisation must develop their verbal and written skills to allow for ease of dialogue between the two parties. Regular dialogue is essential for the pooling together of ideas and suggestions that helps to minimise problems and help to achieve the company objectives.
Employees must be able to interpret management edicts and be able to pass on these instructions to other staffs clearly and concisely in order to achieve peak performance.
One opinion that might be made is that the company’s impersonal uses of memos are substituting important meetings that would be held to discuss some of the key issues. By conducting regular meetings to open up a dialogue for discussion, it would help to eliminate any confusion that might have arisen because of their own interpretation of what is trying to be stressed in the communiqué.
By opening a dialogue between colleagues, it helps to make them feel a part of the team because they are being consulted and being offered to stress their opinions and grievances. During the meetings, it lets the individual know exactly what is being expected of them to do, with little chance for error. Once the individual knows the parameters in which they are expected to perform, and then the individual has some attainable guidelines on how to conduct him or herself around the workplace.
Being made part of a team is one essential tool in the motivation of staffs. By including their opinions within any debate, it helps to raise that person’s self-esteem. Once a person begins to become motivated, it often leads to greater job satisfaction.
Job satisfaction is a combination of hard work and competence. Employees who reflect pride in their work are an infectious source of inspiration to others. This can be seen again in persons whom take personal pride and lead by example.
Motivation is a key component to modern businesses. Staffs should take every opportunity to motivate others constantly. One way to encourage your staff is to let them know what is required of them by defining the day’s objectives.
Use of praise and encouragement inspire maximum performance from an individual from a few choice words or phrases.
Where an individual or team needs berating if they have made a mistake, remain calm and resolve the problem through constructive criticism. This is where the situation is given an explanation of what went wrong, gentle words to re-enforce the need that it does not re-occur, and gives further guidance on how it can be avoided in the future. It is imperative that if it is an individual involved, then take them to one side to discipline them. This way you are not undermining them and therefore their personal dignity is maintained.
Another critical instruction is not to overreact to minor problems. Destructive and unwarranted criticism is harmful to morale and can easily sweep across a work force.
It is also a good idea to be receptive to reasonable grievances that they might have and suggestions that they might make.
Motivation encourages individuals and teams to continually achieve the company’s goals through sustained peak performance.
Part 3 Cleaning and the Law
Cleaning plays a fundamental part of food hygiene. It is pivotal in preventing contamination of both microbiological and chemical, but it also helps to make the indicator signs of pest infestation easier to spot.
All cleaning comprises of four factors:
- Heat
- Mechanical energy
- Chemical energy
- Contact time
Cleaning is usually a five stage process (although not exclusively).
- Pre-clean
- Main clean
- Rinse
- Disinfect
- Final rinse
- Drying
The relative energy and time components of a cleaning programme can differ greatly. This is all dependants on the load of soil age, the chemical properties of the cleaning agent, and the surface to be cleaned. Staffs should receive clear concise instruction on how to correctly conduct the cleaning schedule.
The chemicals used within this factory are as follows:
All staffs that will be handling these products for use in hygiene must receive full training and monitored for competency and efficiency. All of these products must comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to protect the employee whom is to be using these chemicals.
This Act states specific legislation to include:
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regs, 1994 (SI. 1994 No. 3246) (COSHH)
These regulations require employers to assess the hazards and provide suitable controls. Implementation is by means of risk assessment. COSHH is concerned with chemicals that can be classified as toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant.
All of the products used within the body of the factory are supplied with all COSHH safety sheets and are filed in the technical department. Each of these products is mentioned in the company HACCP plan to include the risk assessment of these products.
Chemicals (Hazards, Information & Packaging) Regs, 1993 (CHIP)
Again, this states that all chemicals sold must be supplied with a COSHH safety sheet provided for the purchaser by the supplier. This must include detailed information about the product, its hazard classification under CHIP regulations. It is also prohibited to decant harmful chemicals into unmarked containers.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at work Regs, 1992
These regulations enforce the employer to provide all necessary PPE required for a specific task so as to minimise the health and safety risks that the employees might be subjected to.
There are several good reasons why effective cleaning is so important besides those mentioned earlier:
- It creates a good visual impression for both workers and visitors alike giving a sense that the business cares.
- Helps to maximise the efficiency and costing of several types of products. For example, if a sauce is left to build up deposits, then it would restrict the diameter of the pipe work, making the motor have to run harder to pump product through, thus reducing the lifetime of that component. Its also helps to reduce wastege
- Legal obligations.
It is that final point which needs further explaining.
The food safety Act, 1990
This law makes it an offence to contaminate food so that it would be unreasonable to expect it to be used for human consumption in its current state. It also states that a food proprietor and staffs must identify all steps that are critical to food safety and minimise those risks.
This is further backed up by the
Food Safety (GFH) Regs, 1995
This states:
- Premises must be kept clean, designed to facilitate cleaning, and to protect against the accumulation of dirt.
- Make it a requirement for all food business proprietors to identify any step in activities of the business which is critical to food safety, and to introduce restrictive controls at those points identified.
This law allows an enforcement officer to raise a non-conformance on the actual presence of dirt, and does not have to prove that that soilage poses a risk to health
There is a clear legal and moral obligation that wherever there is a risk to food, a business proprietor must ensure that the working premises are kept clean so as to minimise the risks to public health. These responsibilities must be stressed to all employees not only in their induction period, but also sporadically throughout their employment.
Part 4: PEST in relation to OEE
During the course of this audit, an OEE analysis was conducted on one of the production lines (See OEE exercise workbook). The aim of GMP is to improve the manufacturing performance, and by using OEE calculations it is possible to gain a quantifiable index of performance. Using the precepts behind GMP it is possible to identify areas that could benefit from improvement so as to improve production performance.
The identification of the “seven wastes” which are the non-value added and also the value added sections of a production period are vital. It is the main objective to reduce the first, and increase the latter.
With regards to the production run that was studied several strategies can be entertained to help to minimise waste due to the above mentioned wastes. Firstly, fish cakes are products that produce only small amounts of waste due to the fact that defects can often be re-worked during the same production run. Defect cores can be removed from the line by operatives and then deposited back in the koppens former to be re-moulded into another cake.
Reducing the throughput can often help reduce the rejects levels. Running at just a few strokes under the maximum for the line might make it more cost effective to reduce the throughput by a minimal amount in order to dramatically decrease the amount of reject product. By doing this the ‘right first time’ figure could increase to raise overall production efficiency.
If speed is the overriding factor, i.e. the faster the speed, the higher the defect rate, then just by reducing the stroke rate of the machine, the amount of over-processing required would be reduced. If however speed were not the decisive factor, then an investigation of the machines capabilities would have to be reviewed, and if it cannot be removed, then do you accept this defect level caused by the machine, or do you evaluate the possibility of purchasing a more efficient piece of kit?
With regards to the machine that is in place, the Koppens former is approximately 10-15yrs old and forms cakes by using hydraulic cups and a forming plate. Over the years the maximum output of the machine has dropped by approximately 25% from the max of 40s/m to now 30s/m.
Would it be better to buy a new piece of kit. Perhaps the purchasing an AEW forming machine? Unfortunately these are costly pieces of kit. Costing in the range of £250K. This is a large prohibiting factor in an SME of the size of the company in question, with their limited financial resources. In order to justify a capital expenditure of that magnitude, a significant order would have to be procured to allow for the required payback period to make it a cost effective purchase.
It is almost chicken and egg scenario. With a new piece of machinery of this nature the potential for increased throughput of not only this line, but also of others would rise significantly, but monies or orders to cover payback periods would have to be secured before capital expenditure is considered.
It is a difficult political climate with retail customers at present. More and more of the major multiples only issue contracts for periods of usually a year (although there has recently been a downward trend to decrease these to six monthly). So a guarantee off continued business is not certain, which prohibits the purchase of the new machinery.
The small margins also affect the staff efficiency and retention (thus quality). Because margins are tight, only a small amount on the top of national minimum wage can be applied. This can limit not only the response to job advertisements, but also with staff retention and loyalty. With a higher staff turnover, the quality of staffs employed often reduces, thus affecting the throughputs and efficiencies of the lines.
This interplay of factors is what has to be investigated further upon before resolutions can be found. Identification is just the first step in an overall improvement plan.
Appendix 1:
Summary Sheets
GMP Audit Material
Enclosed in this booklet are copies of the audit checklists that you can use to audit your site against each element of GMP.
You should aim to audit 2 elements of the standard each week and use the techniques discussed in week 1 on problem solving to objectively assess each element of the standard.
If you wish to discuss any elements in more detail then contact one of the tutors on the course who will be able to help you clarify any problems or issues that you may have.
IMPORTANT
You will need to copy the food safety and hygiene audit assessment form each week, as you will need to use this to summarize for each assignment.
Using the Sample Assessment Forms for the 10 sections of Good Manufacturing Practice identify:
- Areas of Strength and Weakness for the GMP sections for your own plant or operation, using the checklists provided.
- The causes of problems which are inherent with the areas of weakness
- The barriers and aids which will effect the improvement process
- Prioritise the actions needed to improve your Good Manufacturing Practice needs, using the assessment forms, which should be included within your weekly assignment.
A grading system has been given on each checklist. You may use this grading system to help you to assess your factory, but feel free to modify this. If you do modify the system then you should explain, quite clearly, how the grading or scoring system is used.
Key to the ABCD grading system for assessing the sections and elements of the GMP standard:
Grade A Excellent Scores 50 points. Grade A scored when there are no safety problems or issues. Requires no further action.
Grade B Satisfactory Scores 30 points. Actionable within defined timescale as agreed at audit.
Grade C Major Scores 10 points. Actionable within one working week.
Grade D Critical Scores 0 points. A Grade D is automatically awarded when a critical safety issue is identified, and is actionable immediately.
Food Safety and Hygiene Audit Assessment Form
Appendix 2:
Audit Checklists
