Maintaining Sanitation Standards When Production Ramps Up

Pork and Poultry processors know that cool weather means the holiday season will soon follow. Demand climbs, production starts to run a little longer, and the pressure to keep product moving starts to intensify. Seasonal surges test a facility and the first thing that usually feels the strain is sanitation.

The stakes are too high to let that pressure affect your food safety program. When volume increases, so does risk, and your sanitation program might already be showing signs that it has reached its limit.

What to Look Out for and What to Do

There are three problems that you should look out for when production demand rises.

Small issues become big problems. A missed step or an untrained team member is easy to correct on a slow day. During peak production, that small problem can quickly become a failed inspection, a product hold, or even a full shutdown.

Sanitation windows shrink. Every production run that goes long leaves less time for changeovers and sanitation. This is when cutting corners is the most tempting. Any slip in standards during this high-volume time increases contamination risks.

Documentation falls behind. Sanitation records and corrective action reports are crucial when there is an increase in production. They are also likely to be the first thing that is skipped when everyone is stretched thin.

The best thing to do to ensure your sanitation program doesn’t suffer during your demand peak is plan ahead. Ask yourself, how good are my records and what are my risk areas? If you don’t have a solid answer to these questions, it’s time for some outside help.

A food safety and sanitation partner can help you keep your facility running smoothly year-round, especially during higher volume production times. Here is what to look for:

A validated process that doesn’t cut corners. A structured and efficient process, like Fortrex’s 8-Steps of Sanitation Success, delivers a plant that is ready for production when your team arrives in the morning. Every sanitor follows the same proven steps which means no matter how tight the schedule, results stay consistent.

Documentation that keeps pace. Accurate records are proof that your plant is ready for production. Without a robust documentation process you can be at risk of failing audits. Fortrex has helped our customers pass 100% of their audits this year.

When you partner with Fortrex you get a food safety and sanitation program that holds up when it counts. You’re not giving up control of your facility; you’re gaining a team of food safety professionals that are invested in your success.

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