The new FDA Food Security Checklist
It applies to restaurants, grocery stores and their workers, as well as those who harvest the food.
The CDC says the coronaviruscan not have passed through the food (even if some importedPositive tested chicken recently) But onenew checklist For how to handle things like seafood, meat, milk, eggs, products and more is now available.
FDA, as well as the administration of occupational safety and health (OSHA),released the list For "people growing, harvesting, packaging, manufacturing, processing or holding human and animal food". We decompose everything you need to know by each section below!
For employers
The new list contains clear regulations designed to protect employees. So, some questions are employers to include "Have you developed a CVIV-19 assessment and control plan?" and "did you provide employees with a clear point of contact" called Covid-19 Working Coordinator.
The pandemic rules, however, did not please some workers. For example,Trader Joe's employees are dissatisfied with the Ampicer's response to Coronavirus.
For installations
Two questions for the facilities cover that the area is free of safety and health risks and ensuring that all hazards are supported in case there is closure and reopening.
Several plants of big names have been closed recently. here is6 food companies packed with workers who have been positive for COVID-19.
For all the staff
In addition to ensuring that safety measures in video training and listed on posters and leaflets are in the appropriate languages, this section of the new FDA control list asks if there are distancing procedures. social and other disinfection methods.
"Have you analyzed your sick leave policies as described by CDC and OSHA to ensure that sick workers, including SARS-COV-2-infected asymptomatic workers, are not at the workplace and guarantee That employees are not penalized to take sick leave if they have COVID-19? "The checklist also requests.
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For people with symptoms
In case a person in the workplace feels symptomatic or begins to feel symptomatic, the checklist has specific actions to take. For example, he asks if there is a place that workers feel sick can be isolated from others. He also asks whether there are procedures in place to reach their contacts and inform other employees.
For an installation, the tests of positive workers have been a big problem.10,000 employees of this food giant contracted COVID-19.
For employee tests
The actions to test the employees set out in the new FDA checklist include the question of whether there is a priority test procedure for those who may have a higher risk of being exposed. It also calls for a plan to "resolve specific procedures for test workers (for example, the type of test, which will perform the tests, and where they will be made) when tests are justified and what actions could to be undertaken. on the results of the test? "
Finally, it is also necessary to plan employees who have been tested positive once they have finished quarantining.
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For the configuration of the work environment
In order to create the safest environment for employees and customers, the FDA control list asks if there are places that social distance might not be possible. If there is, the reconfiguration must then be carried out.
It also deals with ventilation and fans at the workplace, which can broadcast Covid-19 droplets. If necessary, it is indicated that there should be other measures put in place because it can change the risk of thermal disease.
For food security
This section focuses specifically on food. He asked whether there were changes to suppliers, menus, operations, synchronization and any other point to do with the food itself and manages it. If there has been, the potential risks must be addressed.
The menu changes have not been rare during the pandemic. here is5 beloved restaurants starting new menu items while cutting the others.
For food staff
The checklist has questions about changes to employee tasks that can influence food security. He also asks if there is a plan "to exploit and produce safe food with a reduced workforce if employees are sick?"
In addition, "Do you have backups if your key people are unable to come to work?"
For food supplies
The FDA stated that restaurants and grocery stores have to look at where their food comes from. Any modification of labels, new ingredients or any other new must be approved prior to sale.
RELATED:The new decision of the USDA makes it possible to produce chicken from sick birds
For the manufacture
For food harvest, employers should wonder if plants and lands have been examined for security. Many other questions in this section cover the operations of manufacturing facilities after a closure. For example, if a closure has arrived, water and plumbing should be considered and handwashing stations and hand disinfecting stations should be put in place.
Specific things such as the number of utensils available for employees so as not to share and food and inventory procurement issues are also discussed in the new FDA control list.
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