In the food industry, having a clean facility is a major step toward ensuring both food safety and worker safety. It’s also required for avoiding citations and fines due to lack of compliance. To help you get a better handle on the rules you’re required to follow, here is a brief guide to OSHA standards applicable to the food industry.
General Industry Requirements
OSHA 1910 is a general standard under which most industries fall. In the broader food industry, the only sector that has its own separate standard is agriculture, which is covered by OSHA 1928. OSHA 1910 is a comprehensive and complex standard. Here is a short list of the subsections that address housekeeping, food facilities, and combustible dust.1910.22: Housekeeping
OSHA 1910.22 is a general housekeeping standard applicable to almost all permanent places of employment. Section (a) specifies three housekeeping requirements:- All places where people work must be clean, orderly, and sanitary.
- Workroom floors must be clean and, if possible, dry.
- To facilitate cleaning, floors and workspaces must be kept free of hazards.
1910.263: Bakery equipment
This standard specifies requirements for the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of bakery equipment. The bakery sector is especially susceptible to risk because of the combustible dusts that are present. OSHA’s list of combustible agricultural dusts includes several types of flour:- Oat flour
- Potato flour
- Rice flour
- Rye flour
- Wheat flour
1910.272: Grain handling facilities
Grain handling is considered a “high hazard industry.” From a housekeeping perspective, the primary cause for concern in grain handling facilities is fugitive grain dust, which is highly combustible. OSHA notes that “grain dust explosions are often severe, involving loss of life and substantial property damage.” To prevent these explosions, OSHA requires grain dust to be carefully controlled. Specifically, this standard requires the following:- Employers must have a documented housekeeping program that includes the frequency and methods of cleaning.
- Priority housekeeping areas -- i.e., those at the greatest risk -- must be identified. Within these areas, dust accumulation may not exceed ⅛ inch.
- The housekeeping program must include procedures for cleaning up grain and product spills.
