Chemical & Physical Contamination Control Procedure

Control non-food chemicals from approval to disposal

Chemical control starts before a product is introduced to the site. Technical Management maintains an approved chemical list and confirms suitability for use in a food-processing environment, supported by current safety data sheets and product specifications. Procurement is restricted to chemicals on that approved list.

The control then extends through identification, segregation, access and use. Chemical containers must remain clearly identifiable, chemicals are stored separately from food materials in a designated area with restricted access, and handling is limited to appropriately trained personnel. Strongly scented chemicals are excluded where they could create a taint risk.

Spill response, disposal of obsolete or out-of-date chemicals and the handling of empty containers are also defined. Where maintenance or building work requires temporary use of strongly scented or taint-forming materials, Engineering Management is required to apply controls that prevent product taint.

Keep sharp metal implements and packaging fasteners under control

Sharp metal implements such as knives, cutting blades, needles and wires are subject to defined use, storage and condition controls. Regular inspections provide evidence of damage, deterioration or loss of integrity, and snap-off blade knives are prohibited in production and storage environments.

When an implement is missing, Technical Management initiates and oversees a documented investigation into the circumstances and potential product contamination risk. Where contamination risk is identified, affected materials are transferred into the separate non-conforming product control process.

Packaging-related metal hazards are addressed at both purchasing and operational stages. Ingredients or packaging incorporating staples or similar hazards are avoided where alternatives are available; staples, paper clips and drawing pins are prohibited in open-product areas; and packaging containing staples or similar items is handled so fragments do not enter product streams.

Use inventories and risk-based inspection for glass and brittle materials

Glass and other brittle materials are excluded from open-product areas wherever possible and protected against breakage where exclusion is not possible. The procedure requires an inventory of relevant brittle items so their location, number, type and condition remain identifiable within the production environment.

Inspection frequency is set on a risk basis using factors including likelihood of breakage, proximity to open product, product vulnerability and operational exposure. Quality personnel carry out the inspections, Engineering arranges cleaning, repair or replacement where deterioration or damage is found, and Quality verifies that the affected item no longer presents a contamination risk.

Fixed windows, lighting units and other brittle installations are also covered. Engineering maintains protection where breakage could affect product, with alternative controls such as protective screens or monitoring arrangements used where full physical protection cannot be provided.

Define breakage containment, verification and restart authority

Glass or brittle-material breakage is managed through a structured containment and recovery response. Site Management identifies authorised response personnel, relevant personnel are trained in the controls, and the operational roles for containment, cleaning, inspection and production restart are defined.

Where breakage occurs, Operations quarantines potentially affected product and production areas pending assessment and disposition. Hygiene personnel clean the area, after which the area is inspected and Technical Management verifies that fragments have been removed before production may resume. Where clothing or footwear may have been contaminated, the procedure also requires workwear changes and footwear inspection before personnel return to production.

Each incident is recorded, and product identified as contaminated is controlled and disposed of through the separate Non-Conforming Product Control Procedure. This preserves the distinction between the breakage-response mechanism in this procedure and formal product disposition controls managed elsewhere in the FSQMS.

Apply additional controls to glass-container production

Where products are packed in glass or other brittle containers, the procedure adds specific storage and line-response controls. Containers are segregated from raw materials, finished products and other packaging materials, and breakages occurring between container cleaning or inspection and final closure are subject to defined containment, cleaning, inspection and recovery arrangements.

Cleaning methods must remove fragments without spreading them; high-pressure air or water is specifically prohibited for this purpose. Dedicated, clearly identifiable cleaning equipment and designated lidded waste containers are required for breakage response.

After cleaning, production equipment undergoes a documented inspection. Technical Management verifies the inspection and holds the authority to authorise production restart only once the line has been confirmed free from contamination. Breakage records are reviewed for recurring patterns so that potential improvements to line design, container handling or operational practices can be identified and, where required, managed through corrective and preventive action.

Control wood, outer packaging and portable items

Wood is excluded from open-product areas unless the production process specifically requires it. Where wood is necessary, its condition is monitored at a frequency determined by site risk assessment, and food-contact wood must remain suitable for that use, including being free from splinters and taint.

Raw-material handling controls cover debagging and deboxing so fragments of outer packaging do not enter product streams. Portable items in open-product areas are restricted to permitted or site-approved items where contamination risk exists, and stationery used there must either resist fragmentation or be detectable by foreign-body detection equipment.

The procedure also provides for hazards outside the named material categories. Where risk assessment identifies an additional foreign-body contamination risk, Technical Management defines and implements additional operational controls on a risk-based basis.

Allocate responsibility across the contamination-control system

Responsibility is distributed across the functions that resource, define, implement and verify the controls. Senior Management provides the resources, infrastructure and organisational support needed for implementation. Technical or Quality Management establishes and maintains the contamination-control system, oversees inventories, monitoring, incident response and risk assessment, reviews records and investigates significant contamination risks.

Operations Management implements day-to-day controls and manages operational response within production areas. Engineering Management controls engineering activities, fixed brittle materials and related repair or maintenance. Procurement restricts chemical purchasing to approved products and avoids packaging hazards where alternatives exist. Warehouse and materials personnel maintain segregation and handling controls, Hygiene carries out breakage cleaning, and all employees are required to report damage, breakage, missing implements and other contamination risks immediately.

Connect operational control with evidence and the wider FSQMS

The procedure generates evidence through chemical approval records, sharp-implement inspections and investigations, glass and brittle-material inspections, breakage records and chemical-spill records. Training requirements apply to personnel who approve, authorise, verify, review, investigate, assess, implement, monitor, maintain or operate the relevant controls.

Document control, record maintenance, corrective and preventive action, non-conforming product control and training are governed by their own supporting procedures. These interfaces keep this procedure focused on chemical and physical contamination control while linking its inspections, incidents and product-risk decisions to the wider FSQMS.