Design and Facilities

Design and Facilities
This presentation is from the course “Design and Facilities” of the
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) Toolbox.
Readers are encouraged to visit the online resource for a full
learning experience.

Design and Facilities: Presentation Objectives
The objectives of the presentation are:
– To provide an overview of the topic “Design and
Facilities” as covered in the FAO GHP Toolbox.
– To make users aware of the importance of hygienic
design, location and construction of food processing
facilities for the prevention of food safety hazards and to
enable them to identify hazardous design and layout
and lack of adequate facilities and equipment in food
production premises.
– To enable trainers to guide food businesses in their
efforts to improve building structures and flow of
product/people through a production site to minimize
cross-contamination.

Design and Facilities : Presentation Outline
1. Site location related risks and
establishing structural barriers to control
them
2. Plant layout and managing work flow
3. Equipment and Facilities
4. Managing Design and Layout

Food safety is linked to the location of a production site
Wet soils require appropriate draining structures
underneath a building. Humidity from below will
require special flooring and will promote the
growth of moulds.
Water that is used by people for washing or the
watering of animals is a source of hazardous
microorganisms. Avoid placing a food production
close to such water.
Vicinity of a processing plant to waste water or
other potentially toxic water is not recommended.

Industrial activities can be a source of contamination
Construction sites in the vicinity of a food
production site are a source of dust.
Certain activities of neighboring businesses can
contaminate food products.
Toxic fumes and waste disposal sites, even when
located at a distance, are a source of
contamination of foods.

In addition to a safe location restricted access will
enhance food safety
Control access of all
animals, including pets.
Restrict the access of
unauthorized people.
Do this by installing fences
and visible signaling.

Remove sources of contamination
Trees and shrubs surrounding food production might look nice but
harbour pests. Areas within a 3-5 m perimeter of the factory should be
kept free of vegetation.
Sufficient drainage to prevent persistent puddles is recommended.
Regular removal of waste is crucial to reduce the prevalence of pests.

Close entrances to keep pests out
The presence of
rodents, birds and
insects in food
production
premises is a
serious hazard to
food safety.
Factory doors and windows must be kept
closed as much as possible.
Windows that can be opened should have
mesh screens installed to restrict entry of
insects.

Pests enter premises through the smallest gaps
Holes in window
mesh screen
Gaps in door
to food storage
The mesh wiring on the
window should be replaced.
Depicted are examples of closed windows and gates that will not keep out pests.
Additional sealed covering of
stored food or, even better, a new
isolated storage space would be
required to prevent the access of
pests.

Pay attention to good quality walls, roofs and
foundations
Roofs, walls and foundation
protect from elements and
pests.
Roofs should be designed and
built so they can be inspected
and do not collect water and
leaves. Smooth surfaces
achieve this best. Potential
sources of contamination are
ventilation vents.
Any features that can
accumulate debris should be
avoided.
Seal at points where drains,
pipes, etc. pass through walls.

Protect receiving areas and loading bays from pests and
the elements
Platforms, receiving areas,
and loading bays need to
protect foods and raw
materials from pests and
the weather.
If the receiving area can
not be covered extra
protective wrapping or
packaging of transported
products must be
provided.
A good example of a loading area
which is covered to protect raw
materials during loading and off-
loading operations. In addition, the
cover can be removed and cleaned.

Make cleaning easy and eliminate hiding spaces for
pests
Ceilings should be well sealed.
Walls should be of good quality
without gaps or holes and made of
easy to clean material. Flakes of
paint or other material should be
removed.
Pests hide and dirt accumulates
behind protective screens. Build solid
structures with no gaps (see rounded
off floor corners in image) and only
install protective screens if absolutely
required for technical/safety
purposes.
Rounded off corners between
walls facilitate cleaning.
Protective screens and false
ceilings can facilitate cleaning
but hide dirt! Only install if
electrical installations require
protection.
Ceiling well-sealed to prevent
pest access or contamination
from roof area

These pipes definitely need cleaning, but what about the gap in
the wall?
If gap leads to
area of high
hygiene or to the
outside of the
building fill and
seal the gap in
such a way that
no pests can
enter.
If gap leads from
one production
area to another
of the same level
of hygiene repair
wall to prevent
crumbling,
inspect regularly
and keep clean.

Floors must be sloped and made of durable materials
• Floors should be made of durable material that withstands cleaning
processes (i.e. hot water and chemicals), copes with the weight of machines
and with physical wear (i.e. moving fork-lifts).
• Floors should be sloped to assure flow of water (e.g. during cleaning)
towards drains. Prevent stagnant pools from forming.
• Arrange flow of production to prevent contaminated water from entering
areas where unprotected food products are being processed.

Design and Facilities: Presentation Outline
1. Site location related risks and
establishing structural barriers to control
them
2. Plant layout and managing work flow
3. Equipment and Facilities
4. Managing Design and Layout

Plant layout and organisation of work flow influence food
safety
Paying special attention to the organisation of the flow of
– raw materials/product
– personnel
– waste
– water and air
– equipment
through a plant has been shown to limit the level of
contamination of the final product.
A useful and easy to communicate way of organising flow
is achieved by defining different areas of hygiene in a
production site. How to do this is shown in the following
slides.

Describe the flow of raw materials/product through a
production site
Start by
identifying the
path materials
take through
plant.
This is best
achieved by
drawing a simple
plant plan as
depicted.
Raw materials
Production area
Administration
Finalproduct&dispatch
Flow of raw materials/product

Assign hygiene levels to areas of production site
Raw materials
Production area
Administration
Raw materials
Production area
Administration
Determine areas in which additional hygiene controls and hygienic
behaviour would improve the safety of the final product.
The areas of different hygiene are often referred to as “high, medium,
or basic risk zones”.
Basic
Medium
High
Hygiene level
Basic
Medium
High
Hygiene level

Product handling and hygienic behaviour of personnel
change according to hygiene level
Hygiene level Product handling Hygienic behaviour
High
All handling of unpacked,
final product (i.e. area where
yoghurt is filled into
containers)
Personal must observe strictest
hygiene in addition to rules
below (i.e. no constant exiting
and entering area)
Medium
Handling of raw materials
prior to processing steps (i.e.
weighing; mixing)
Access only for instructed
personnel wearing hygienic
clothing. Hands must be washed
upon entering area.
Basic
No production in these areas
(i.e. storage of wrapped
packaging materials)
Access for anyone allowed on
premises, no clothing
requirements.

raw
processed
ideal pay
attention!
Cross-contamination is minimized by observing ideal
flow of product
An ideal flow of product
through a factory prevents
the proximity of dirty
products or waste to
finished products.
Often, the lay-out of the
premises does not allow
for an ideal flow through
the premises and food
products may be cross-
contaminated.

Manage cross-contamination hazards
time management
physical separation
To prevent contamination of clean
material (i.e. processed unpackaged
food or clean packaging) either
• physically separate by covering
both dirty and clean materials
(i.e. use containers with lids, or
use disposable plastic
wrapping), or
• keep dirty and clean material
apart by time management (i.e.
clean equipment after
production cycle terminated;
transport new delivery of raw
materials prior to
commencement of production.)

Limit the free movement of personnel through premises
As shown in the Personal
Hygiene Module persons are a
source of contamination.
Personnel must therefore
comply with strict access
rules. These are enforced by
• keeping doors and
windows closed
• clear signaling
• preventing direct access
to areas of higher hygiene
by building walls
• regular training and
controls
Flow of material
Raw materials reception
Administration
FinishedGoods
&Dispatch

Build walls or install visible demarcation lines to protect
areas of higher hygiene
Where walls can not be built demarcation lines on the floor may
serve as a system to separate areas of different hygiene levels.
Getting personnel to respect such virtual walls requires regular
training and strict controls.

Toilets should not directly open into food production
areas
The humid environment of toilets produces aerosols containing high
numbers of faecal contaminants. Toilet facilities must never directly open
into production areas. Ideally they open into hand-washing facilities and only
from there onto food production areas.

Spatial arranging of equipment supports food safety
process controlled
cleaning possible
access possible
All equipment used
must be designed to
maintain standards
of food safety:
Access must be
easily possible
• for visual checks
of cleanliness,
• for easy
cleaning, and
• for easy process
control.

Not enough space encourages people to be untidy and
.. gives pests the opportunity to hide and accumulate!

Equipment must be made of food-safe materials
Equipment should be
– corrosion resistant, non-absorbent, smooth and
easily cleanable (painted surfaces are not
ideal);
– kept in good order and repair;
– constructed to minimise sharp inside corners,
projections and tiny crevices or gaps.
Rusty equipment can lead to physical,
chemical and microbiological hazards.
Rust indicates that the material is not food-
contact safe. Metal splints may end up in
foods, and a damaged surface encourages
growth of microorganisms.

Equipment design should support food safety efforts
Food processing equipment should
be
– intended for food production
– obtained from a reputable supplier
who will be able to deliver correct
replacement parts during the lifetime
of the machine
– easy to clean (beware of hidden
spaces behind sealing gaskets!)
– easy to maintain.
When buying new or used equipment
test it first for functionality and
hygienic properties. Disinfect prior to
first use!inadequate conveyor belt for
rice noodle production

Food-contact surfaces include utensils of all kinds
Equipment and utensils such as mixers, knives and can-
openers should be
– taken apart as necessary for thorough cleaning
– have smooth surfaces (no cracks, irregular seams, scratches),
– cleaned as frequently as necessary (i.e. can-openers are well-
known sources of contamination),
– dried or drip-dried before being re-assembled,
– replaced when cracked or heavily scratched (i.e. surface of boards,
plastic containers, glass containers).

Beware of the dangers of re-cycling containers
Many products such as paint are delivered in
seemingly useful containers. However, toxic
residues of the original material (i.e. paint) that
can not be removed will end up in the final
product.
If re-cycled containers are used all measures
must be taken to prevent contamination of the
final product. This includes clear labelling (i.e.
“for non-food use only”) and designated use
(i.e. collection of waste).
Care must be taken that all deliveries of raw
ingredients have only been in contact with
food-grade containers/bags.

Hoses can be a food safety hazard
– Ensure that you are using food-grade hoses.
Leakage of chemical contaminants is an
issue with non-food-grade hoses.
– Even best quality hoses will crack after a
certain amount of use. Look inside hoses
with a torch and check for cracks and dirt
accumulation. Replace if surfaces are rough
and/or cracks appear.
– Unprotected nozzles should never touch the
floor.
– Hoses must be thoroughly cleaned after use
and stored hanging on the wall.
– Prior to use hoses should be flushed with
steam or hot water for disinfection purposes.

Biofilm formation is a significant hazard in food
production
Only machines that can be
disassembled can be effectively
cleaned!
Pathogenic microorganisms such as
Salmonella are known to accumulate
in biofilms.
Once biofilms have started to form
they are difficult to remove through
standard cleaning procedures.

Prevent shards and splints from contaminating final
product
from wooden crates and pallets can end up in food products.
Avoid the use of such materials wherever possible.
from broken windows, broken display cases, broken bulbs are
a serious health hazard. Keep a written list to control glass
breakage.
from badly adjusted machines may end up in the final product.
Vigilant operators and careful maintenance [link to
maintenance module] are the best ways to prevent this
physical contamination.
from brittle equipment such as conveyor belts and containers
can break off and end up in products. Train operators to spot
such problems and replace defective equipment.

Condensation leads to growth of moulds
Condensation happens when warm humid air touches a
cooler surface. This phenomenon is common in food
productions and leads to the growth of moulds on walls, for
example on the outside of cooling chambers.
Often, condensation cannot be prevented. To prevent the
growth of moulds it is suggested to
– rearrange equipment so that air can circulate freely between
shelves and walls of cooling chambers;
– improve insulation of cooling chambers to lower the risk of
condensation;
– regularly check those areas where moulds have grown previously
and adapt cleaning programmes accordingly.

Potable water of an adequate quality is necessary to
produce safe food
Water used as an ingredient, for hand-washing,
preparation of ice, and cleaning should be
potable and its hardness and mineral content
controlled.
Non-potable water in a food-production facility
(i.e. for fire control, steam production, heat
exchange) should be part of a separate piping
system that cannot contaminate the potable
water system.
Clean drains regularly! Be aware that plumbing
with dead ends is a known source of
contamination.

Control air quality and provide enough light
– Air transports contaminants.
– Keep ventilation systems
clean.
– Prevent air from flowing from
contaminated areas to clean
areas (i.e. create higher
pressure in areas of higher
hygiene.)
– Holding a tissue in the air will
quickly indicate the direction
of air flow.
– Provide ample lighting
so people can spot dirt
and see what they are
doing.
– In production facilities
lighting should be
suitably protected to
prevent the
contamination of food
with glass.

Adequate facilities support hygienic behaviour
As mentioned in the Personal
Hygiene Module staff needs
adequate facilities to implement
the required standard of hygiene.
In addition to
– toilets,
– changing rooms, and
– strategically placed hand-washing stations
staff must have
– enough space to store personal items, and
– somewhere outside the areas of higher hygiene to
eat and drink.
Drinking and eating should
be done in reserved
spaces away from
processing activities.

Managing design and facilities
Management has the
responsibility to allocate
financial resources for the
– improvement of structures
such as walls, ceilings,
floors; and
– replacement of non-food-
safe machines and
equipment.
How and when the
resources will be invested
should be documented.
Periodic inspections that focus
on the appropriateness of
structures, facilities and
equipment are the best way to
assess the current situation.
Such checks must be
– documented and filed as part
of a GMP programme; and
– contain actions and deadlines;
and
– include the name of the person
who will be responsible for the
implementation of the decided
actions.

Help personnel avoid cross-contamination
Personnel must be made aware of the cross-contamination
hazards related to
– inadequate equipment and facilities
– disrespect of zoning principles and corresponding barriers
through short reminder training sessions.
One known issue is getting personnel to keep doors and
windows closed at all times. Improving this situation can be
done by
– removing handles on windows
– installing doors that automatically close
– re-organizing work-flow so that people are not required to
constantly move from one room to the next.

Design and Layout of Food Processing Establishments :
Conclusions
Food businesses must protect their production sites from environmental
hazards and uncontrolled access by unauthorized persons, animals and pests.
Well maintained foundations, drainage, walls and roofs and correct layout of
the production site through zoning prevent the accumulation of contaminants
and lower the risk of cross-contamination.
Free movement of personnel and equipment is restricted by imposing
behavioural rules and installing walls as access barriers to zones of higher
hygiene.
Equipment should be designed with food hygiene in mind, made of food-safe
materials and spatially arranged to allow easy access for cleaning and
monitoring purposes.
Potable water including functioning drainage systems are a pre-requisite for
any safe food production.
In addition to clean toilets personnel must be provided with adequate facilities
and regular training to raise awareness of cross-contamination hazards.
Managing design and facilities is done through periodic facility inspections the
result of which is documented in the GMP programme.

You have reached the end of the presentation Design
and Facilities.
This presentation is from the course “Design and Facilities” of the
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) Toolbox.
Readers are encouraged to visit the online resource for a full
learning experience.

Design and Facilities

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