PPE Checklist for Food Processing Plants

Food plants need PPE to protect both the product and the worker. Hair, glove scraps and foreign objects are a contamination risk. Knives, cold rooms, chemicals and wet floors are a safety risk. This checklist follows a worker from the entrance to the end of the shift.

At the entrance

• Hair covers in several sizes: SoftCover® Bouffant Flat Hair Covers 24" and SoftCover® Bouffant Flat Hair Covers 28" for long hair.
• Beard covers: SoftCover® Beard Covers 18".
• Lab coats or coveralls: SoftCover SMS Lab Coats White, with blue for visitors and maintenance: SoftCover SMS Lab Coats. Blue.
• Shoe covers for visitors: SoftCover® Nonwoven Shoe Cover, Anti-skip bottom, or steel-toe overshoes: WILURO PVC Safety Overshoes Lightweight Steel Toe Waterproof.
• Dispensers to keep it all organized: see how to set up a PPE station.

Foreign-object control

• Use blue gloves, which are easy to spot in most foods: Cobalt Shield Nitrile Examination Gloves.
• Use metal-detectable earplugs, so a lost plug can be caught by your metal detectors: LittleEar® Metal Detectable Foam Earplug Cord Blue.
• Avoid loose items: pocketless lab coats help.

On the line

• Disposable gloves in every size, changed between tasks.
• Cut protection for knife work: Cut-Resistance Gloves Level A4, Sandy Nitrile Coated Palm or Cut Resistance Gloves Level 5 Fully Coated Sandy Palm, with US Mesh® Stainless Steel Mesh Glove with Adjustable Strap – Wrist Length for boning and a Stainless Steel Mesh Apron with Adjustable Elastic Strap where needed.
• Sleeves: Virgin PE Sleeves or reusable TPU Reusable Sleeve.
• Aprons, colour-coded by area: Premium PE Aprons 1.5 Mil or reusable TPU Reusable Apron.

Cold rooms and freezers

• Insulated gloves: Showa Neoprene Gloves, Rough Finish, Foam Insulated, 12", Black for wet cold, or Latex 1/2 Coated Thermal Winter Gloves Blue On Green for dry cold.
• Insulated boots: Baffin TP Boots Waterproof & Cold Comfort,Slip-Resistant, Safety Toe and Plate.
• Hats and liners under hair covers where allowed.

Washdown and sanitation

• Long chemical-resistant gloves: Green-Touch Nitrile Reusable Gloves 22Mil 18".
• Face protection from spray: Elastic Face Shields Anti-Fog Full Length.
• Waterproof gown: Premium Heavy Duty CPE Gown.
• White PU boots: Dunlop Flexible PU, Steel toe, Resistant To Oil, 15″.

Colour-coding

A visible colour system prevents cross-contamination. Assign one colour per area for gloves, aprons and cloths. For example: red for raw meat, yellow for poultry, blue for seafood and white for ready-to-eat. Post a chart at the entrance and in each area.

Frequently asked questions

Why blue gloves in food plants?

Very few foods are naturally blue, so a torn piece of a blue glove is easy to spot.

What are metal-detectable earplugs?

Earplugs with a metal component, so that a lost plug can be found by the line’s metal detectors.

Do you supply plants outside Toronto?

Yes. We ship across Canada. Contact us for case pricing.