5 Goodpractices
5 Goodpractices
5 Goodpractices
BY KERRY BEACH
FOOD PLANT
FIRST AID
Food Plant First Aid
What would you do if you were cut or wounded at work?
Would you continue working and tend to your injury at your
next break? Would you stop the bleeding and return to your
task? You may not realize it, but the steps you take to treat
an injury are very important.
There are a number of illnesses that can be spread through
blood, vomit, urine and feces. Hepatitis A, Staph infection,
E.coli, shigella, Norwalk virus and rotavirus are just a few.
These same illnesses can be spread from person to person
via food. For this reason, it is very important that you do
everything in your power to prevent body fluids from contaminating ingredients, food products, packaging materials,
equipment and product surfaces.
When a persons body fluids contact food products or
product contact surfaces, there are several specific steps that
must be taken right away. They include:
Cuts, sores, wounds, boils, etc. should be adequately covered and contained with a bandage and an impermeable
covering. If the opening cannot be adequately covered or
contained, the employee must be removed from operations where he or she may contaminate product or product
contact surfaces.
Clean affected areas, including equipment, structures, and
products.
Any product that has been exposed to the body fluid must
be discarded.
Materials that are used to treat the affected persons or to
perform cleanup, such as gloves, towels or bandages, must
be discarded in accordance with local or federal regulations
regarding biohazard disposal.
In todays busy food plant environment, there is no time to
deal with the harmful effects brought on by contamination.
That is why it is so important that you realize the actions you
can take to help stop the spread of foodborne illnesses and
keep your food safe.