Safety & Personnel

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a virus that can infect both domestic poultry and wild birds. However, research has shown that mammals such as dairy cattle can contract the Avian flu virus if they come into contact with infected birds or contaminated materials. Older cattle are more susceptible to infection and may exhibit symptoms such as fever, reduced appetite, and reduced milk production quality and quantity. Fortunately, infected cattle usually recover within 2-3 weeks.

According to USDA, FDA, and CDC reports, the Avian Flu has been found in unpasteurized milk from affected herds. However, the reports indicate that the US dairy supply is safe and free from contamination. Dairy producers must exclude milk from human consumption if it is sourced from an unhealthy animal.

A robust cleaning and sanitation program can help prevent the spread of HPAIv. To ensure the safety of employees and products, Nelson-Jameson offers a range of protective equipment

Every year, destructive and deadly dust-related fires and explosions affect a wide range of industries around the globe, including the food processing industry. 

According to the 2021 Combustible Dust Incident Report Summary by Dust Safety Science, in the United States alone, there has been an average of 133 fires, 30 explosions, 39 injuries, and one to six fatalities per year (between 2016 and 2021). 

To help manage dust-related fires, flash fires, and explosion hazards, the NFPA® introduced NFPA 652: Standard on the Fundamentals of Combustible Dust . 

All facilities that handle or produce combustible dust, or particulate solids that may become dust, are at risk of a potential dust explosion. NFPA 652 defines combustible dust

In April of this year, OSHA - Region V - WI published a Local Emphasis Program (LEP) established for the purpose of scheduling and conducting inspections within the Food Manufacturing Industry (click here for full details.)

The launch of the LEP allows for greater “outreach, education, training, and enforcement activities.” For many reading this, this specific LEP may not pertain to your facility. However, the rationale behind this special program is something that we can appreciate across the food industry. Reminders like this in our busy, hectic schedules can do a lot “to encourage employers to take steps to identify, reduce, and eliminate hazards associated with exposure to machine hazards during production activities, and off-shift sanitation, service, and maintenance tasks.”

Let’s face it, a food processing

5S is more than a program, it is a comprehensive system for organizing spaces so work can be performed efficiently, effectively, and safely. This system focuses on putting everything where it belongs and keeping the workplace clean, which naturally promotes a safer workplace with more efficiency.

When implementing a 5S system, it is important to remember to start small. Start with a pilot project to get a feel for if/what employee training is needed—how to implement the system, how to track progress, and how to celebrate success.

5S IS A FIVE-STEP PROCESS:

1. Sort: Separate the tools that are needed to get the job done.
   Remove everything else.
2. Set in Order: Place all relevant tools within reach of operatives and reduce the need to be away from

The Incoplas® LED Hybrid Hazloc, from Shat-R-Shield®, is a durable multi-purpose and corrosion-resistant LED lighting solution that can be used in heavy industrial applications where hazardous location lighting is required.

Features

• Specifically designed to withstand moisture, dust, chemicals, salt spray, and harsh environments.
• Uses thermally conductive engineered polymers to extract heat away from the light source and offer consistent heat dissipation.
• Significant weight reduction over comparable aluminum fixtures.
• Multiple mounting options to choose from.

Summer is approaching and that means temperatures are rising and it's going to start getting HOT! For most of us summer and warm temperatures correlate with going to the beach,

Springtime brings many new colors, from the flowers popping up in gardens to the spring and summer produce offerings at the grocery store. During this colorful time of year, it might be the perfect opportunity to take a look at color-coding in your facility, whether that means starting a new color-coded program or expanding an existing program.

Nelson-Jameson has expanded our color-coded program once again with the release of our 2021 Color-Coded Catalog. This year's catalog has grown to 68 pages of products that are designed to help prevent allergen migration and cross-contamination. A complete color-coded program helps to lay the foundation for a solid food safety program, and can help minimize the risk of cross-contamination.

Why choose a color-coded system? A complete color-coded system helps promote organization and efficient workflow. Designating critical control areas and zones helps your sanitation program by ensuring that the tools stay in the areas in

Ten years...that’s a long time, right?  But...not really.  The more I see 10th, 20th, or 25th-anniversary releases of favorite albums or movies, the more I feel like time is slipping away...and ten years seems more like a blink.   So, when you consider the dichotomy of the slow and all-too-quick hands of time, it’s impressive how much has been accomplished, and yet how far we have to go in food safety since the Food Safety Modernization Act was enacted in early 2011.

As much as it would be great to go with either a “yay” or “nay” as to whether it has been a success, like many pieces of major legislation, there have been both phenomenal strides as well as stagnation.  As food safety is a complex undertaking, involving waves of domestic and global political and trade relations, budgetary concerns, etc., the quality assurance of the Act itself can be a challenge at times.  As we’ll see though, overwhelmingly,