When working with food, the uniforms worn provide more than just style. These items of clothing provide protection for employees as they prepare food for consumption, as well as keep food preparation practices sanitary. Alongside a rigid cleaning regime, proper uniforms are what keep food processing plants running cleanly. Without these practices and clothing items, food could be contaminated and become dangerous to consume. So, what kind of food processing uniforms do you need to keep employees and the products clean and safe? Let’s dive into the best practices for cleaning and maintaining food processing uniforms.
Qualities to look for in a high-quality food processing uniform
Food processing uniforms should be HACCP-compliant. HACCP stands for hazard analysis and critical control points. This framework ensures that food processing is as safe as possible by taking precautionary measures to prevent dangerous food safety practices. In order for a food processing plant to be 100% HACCP compliant, the employees need to utilize proper uniforms.
HACCP-compliant uniforms will have the following characteristics:
- Durable Fabric: These uniforms have to be hygenically laundered before each wear, so the fabric must be able to withstand hundreds of washes without deterioration. Damaged fabric can leave room for contaminated food particles to remain in the clothing, which endangers the safety of the food processing plant.
- No Pockets Above the Waist & No Buttons: Pockets and buttons can trap contaminants in hard to clean places, making the uniform unsafe to work in.
Cleaning Uniforms: Tips and Tricks
Clean uniforms are only half of the battle when it comes to keeping a food processing plant safe. If the laundry bins are dirty, or the people cleaning the clothes don’t wash their hands, then there is still room for contamination. In order to ensure complete cleanliness, it’s essential to utilize clean laundry bins, or use a washable inner layer, alongside disposable gloves. These practices can help clean uniforms stay clean and reduce the risk of contamination.
In addition to these possible issues, there is also a risk of cross-contamination. This is the transfer of contaminants from one area to another, and can be one of the largest threats to food safety. Most often, this occurs when an employee might innocently enter an area that they are not assigned to be in, then accidentally bring harmful pathogens back into their assigned work area. To avoid this, companies can implement different colored clothing for different areas of work, which can make it easy for managers to spot when someone is not in the place they should be working.
Services with Balfurd
The best way to prevent cross-contamination with employee uniforms in the workplace is to work with a company that can professionally launder uniforms for you. Balfurd offers uniform rental services with FREE pickup and delivery. Here’s how it works: you sign up for the uniform service and time that works for you, and we deliver and pick up your uniforms on a weekly basis. No need to worry about keeping uniforms clean on your own, just hire Balfurd to do the work for you! Visit our website for more information to get started today!
