james montgomery flagg :: essays research papers

James Montgomery Ward   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  James Montgomery Flagg was born on June 18, 1887 in Pelham Manor, New York. As a child, Flagg loved sketching with pen and paper. In fact, his first published painting was at the age of twelve by the then popular magazine St. Nicholas Magazine. By the age of fourteen, he was a regular contributor to Life Magazine. A year later, he was hired to be on the staff of Judge Magazine. Flagg continued to contribute by drawing famous celebrity portraits for the popular magazines front covers. Although Flagg went to the prestigious Art Students League, he attributes most of his knowledge and talent in art to the many drawing he saw by others working with the magazines. In 1916, Flagg turned in a painting he was commissioned to do for Leslie’s Magazine. The cover read, â€Å"What are you doing for preparedness?† After seeing this, the U.S. government asked Flagg to adapt the man to a war poster. This figure later became known as Uncle Sam. There have been numerous questions as to Uncle Sam’s true identity. As far as the physical appearance goes, it is indeed James Montgomery Flagg himself. Flagg usually posed for himself to save money on not hiring models for his artworks. As for the pointed finger, Flagg borrowed that idea from a British propaganda poster featuring Lord Horatio Kitchener with the same pose asking the same question. The character itself has two stories about it. The first states that Uncle Sam was indeed a real person named Samuel Wilson. Samuel Wilson was a meat packer during the war of 1812. Sam would donate generous amounts of meat to the soldiers of the American army. People say this character was perfect to uphold the values of the United States which were fairness, reliability, and honesty. The other story behind the Uncle Sam name is that it matches the acronyms for the United States (U. james montgomery flagg :: essays research papers James Montgomery Ward   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  James Montgomery Flagg was born on June 18, 1887 in Pelham Manor, New York. As a child, Flagg loved sketching with pen and paper. In fact, his first published painting was at the age of twelve by the then popular magazine St. Nicholas Magazine. By the age of fourteen, he was a regular contributor to Life Magazine. A year later, he was hired to be on the staff of Judge Magazine. Flagg continued to contribute by drawing famous celebrity portraits for the popular magazines front covers. Although Flagg went to the prestigious Art Students League, he attributes most of his knowledge and talent in art to the many drawing he saw by others working with the magazines. In 1916, Flagg turned in a painting he was commissioned to do for Leslie’s Magazine. The cover read, â€Å"What are you doing for preparedness?† After seeing this, the U.S. government asked Flagg to adapt the man to a war poster. This figure later became known as Uncle Sam. There have been numerous questions as to Uncle Sam’s true identity. As far as the physical appearance goes, it is indeed James Montgomery Flagg himself. Flagg usually posed for himself to save money on not hiring models for his artworks. As for the pointed finger, Flagg borrowed that idea from a British propaganda poster featuring Lord Horatio Kitchener with the same pose asking the same question. The character itself has two stories about it. The first states that Uncle Sam was indeed a real person named Samuel Wilson. Samuel Wilson was a meat packer during the war of 1812. Sam would donate generous amounts of meat to the soldiers of the American army. People say this character was perfect to uphold the values of the United States which were fairness, reliability, and honesty. The other story behind the Uncle Sam name is that it matches the acronyms for the United States (U.

The Importance of Dinosaur Discoveries Essay example -- Anthropology E

The Importance of Dinosaur Discoveries When a paleontologist makes a discovery about Dinosaurs it is usually a celebrated event and will appear on all sorts of covers of magazines and even newspapers, with good reason. These discoveries are often quite exciting for a few reasons. The whole experience of finding a fossil that is hundreds of millions of years old is quite an adrenaline rush, but the fact that each discovery has the ability to answer questions in relation to evolution is quite amazing. Each finding of Dinosaur remains can help answer questions of how that certain species evolved from another. If our species can fully understand how Dinosaurs evolved, maybe in the future we can learn something about our evolution. Without discoveries from the past how is our society supposed to persevere and learn from mistakes that may lead to our own extinction, and who to learn better from than perhaps the dinosaurs that have gone through many stages of evolution and have faced extinction. The finding that will be discussed is the discovery of a new type of long- necked Sauropod Dinosaur named Rapetosauras, in the country of Madagascar (National Science Foundation). It was found by two groups of scientists. One group was headed up by Dr. Catherine Forster of SUNY Stony Brook and the other was led by Dr. Curry Rogers of the Science Museum of Minnesota (National Science Foundation). The paleontologists in total found a skeleton that possessed a set of 80 to 90 vertebrate from the neck all the way down to the tail (National Geographic). The two teams also discovered two nearly complete skulls, one from a young Rapetosauras and another from an adult (National Geographic). The Rapetosauras is a type of Dinosaur called a Titano... ...4 (Primary Source) Hartman, Joseph, Krause, David, and Rogers Raymond. †Stratigraphic Analysis of Upper Cretaceous Rocks in the Mahajanga Basin, Northwestern Madagascsar: Implications for Ancient and Modern Faunas.† The Journal of Geology vol. 108 (2000) : 275. Parsell, D.L. â€Å"Skeleton of New Dinosaur â€Å"Titan† found in Madagascar on National Geographic.com.† 1 August 2001. National Geographic News. 4 April 2004 â€Å"Brachiosaurus† Enchanted Learning.com. 2004. 4 April 5 2004 â€Å"New Long-necked Dinosaur Discovered in Madagascar.† Office of Legislative and Public Affairs. 1 August 2001. National Science Foundation. 5 April 2004

Lord Of The Flies :: essays research papers

Throughout The Lord of the Flies, the author shows how different Simon is from the rest of the savages on the island. He is much more innocent and pure than the others and has a religious demeanor. Light, very commonly a symbol of holiness and purity, is used quite often during Simon’s â€Å"funeral†. In the last four paragraphs of chapter nine, â€Å"A view to a death†, Golding makes clear the use of light imagery to suggest the apotheosis of Simon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During chapter nine, the sky and water are used to convey a sense of innocence during Simon’s glistening funeral. For example, the air becomes clear as the rain ceases, indicating a calm and peacefulness. When the â€Å"silver tide† comes in and washes away his blood and â€Å"streaks of phosphorescence† mend his battered body, it is as though Simon’s body is being prepared for ascension into heaven. â€Å"Lamps of stars,† â€Å"bright constellations,† and the moonlight provide much radiance. In addition there are brilliant flashes of lightning from the still lingering storm. The luminous sky provides light while the clear, silver water works on restoring Simon’s body after he has been savagely killed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Simon’s body and the creatures around it also show his holiness. Light images of the creatures that surround Simon glorify his body, and as light falls on his corpse he is transfigured into an icon of expiation. Also, the water covers Simon in a â€Å"coat of pearls† and â€Å"creatures† (interpreted to symbolize angels) begin to spread a layer of silver over him. The apotheosis of Simon is complete, as he becomes completely silver.

California State Law Essay

What Bidders Edge did may be considered as an innovation in the emerging electronic commerce industry. Linking as what was specified in the article made thinks easier for bigger websites such as e-bay to be viewed in by a lot people. Summing up the intention of Bidders Edge, we could conclude that what the company did is to provide the buyer’s the best price possible for anything that they want to buy. In the process, Bidder’s Edge would obtain choices from various auction sites which consequently included e-bay. I believe that this one mattered to e-bay not entirely on the sense that Bidders Edge would trespass per se on e-bay servers but the latter would serve as a threat for e-bay in the future. Simply put, traditional trespass involves the manipulation, distribution, or access of private data or property without the approval of its owner. In this particular case, e-bay is a public domain with open access to everyone who has internet access. On the other hand, personal property means that anything that is movable as distinguished from real estate. In the case of e-bay and Bidders Edge, the latter did request fro legal access but was denied by the former. One thing where Bidders Edge made a wrong move was when they created proxy users in order to access e-bay servers thereby giving in legal grounds for e-bay to file a lawsuit under the provisions of California state laws on intellectual property infringements against Bidders Edge. Under California state laws, â€Å"Various things can be copyrighted: literature, drama, music, sound recordings, computer software, advertising copy, motion pictures, choreography, pantomimes, and architectural works†(Witkin, Witkin Legal Institute., & West Group., 2005). This gives e-bay the basis to file suit against anyone who intends unauthorized use of their servers. This is in contrast with the usual textbook definition that trespass to personal property may be altered if the medium may be proven as a public domain. Reference: Witkin, B. E., Witkin Legal Institute., & West Group. (2005). Summary of California law (10th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Witkin Legal Institute.      

Government Assistance on Welfare Programs

S. B. 311 will reform the current system of welfare. The reform of the national system is based on the Wisconsin Works or W-2 bill. The bill makes it necessary for people receiving financial, medical, and other various types of government assistance to work for what they receive. The goal of this bill is to eventually get everyone off of the current welfare system. This bill requires everyone who is currently receiving welfare to find employment or enter a job training program. The part of the W-2 bill that will be included is the part that deals with job location. Every participant would have to meet with a financial and employment planner, who would help develop a money and time management program for that person. They would also determine which level of employment or training the participant is ready for. Here are the levels from top to bottom: Unsubsidized Employment: People entering at this level will be offered the best available and immediate job opportunity. If the job does not provide a high enough income to support oneself, income credits, food stamps, Medical Assistance, and child care may be accessible for 6 months. This period of time is given to the participant to locate a higher income job. Trial Jobs: These jobs are designed for people who are not able to locate unsubsidized work. The bill would cover added costs to the employer for training an employee which might need extra support in job training for the first 3-6 months. These trial jobs should result in permanent positions. While a participant is working at a trial job the would be eligible for all of the current assistance programs. If a person quits a trial job they will be ineligible for any further financial or any other type of assistance. Community Service Jobs: This category is reserved for people who do not have the job skills necessary to be hired by a regular employer. CSJ workers would receive $700 per week for up to eight months. During this period, a participant would have to work 30 hours a week and have 10 hours of educational training a week. After the eight months, the participant would be transferred to a trial job. Transition: Transition jobs are only for those people unable to perform self-sustaining work. These participants would receive up to $700 a week for up to a year. During this period, a participant would be required to have 30 hours of work and/or developmental training a week and 10 hours of educational training a week. Participants would be eligible for all assistance programs and would be required to move to the CSJ category after a year. These are the measures that would be taken to help people find employment and permanently get them off of welfare. The current national system that is being used for work requirements is TANF. TANF stands for the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. The required number of monthly hours of participation in the program is 25 hours for 1999. Job skills ttraining, education related to employment, and secondary school or GED completion does not count towards the first 20 hours of participation. They can be in the program for up to 24 months and can receive all of the current welfare benefits. Then job searching is allowed for an additional 3 months, while participants still receive benefits. The only punishment this programs implements for able adults that do not work is that the adult would only receive foods stamps for 3 months out of a three year period. However, the person would still be eligible for other assistance benefits. The current national system seems like a joke. It is practically encouraging people not to work. It has a basis for some practical ideas, but the requirements are far too small and there is virtually no motivation for a person to work. Everyone is not given an equal chance to get a job growing up, but that does not mean working Americans should have to support them. S. B. 311 proposes a practical working plans for unemployed citizens and also has rigid standards. The expectations are high of the participants, but it is time that unemployed people have to work for what they receive. The bill proposes a plan which provides adequate assistance for people receiving job training and assistance to those who are starting unsubsidized work. On the other hand, the guidelines of the bill were designed not to tolerate an unwillingness to work. If a person chooses not to work, or to go through the levels of job training, they will receive no government assistance. This seems harsh, but who wants to support someone who refuses to work? The participants of this program are given more than a fair chance to find employment and if they choose not to work, they will suffer the consequences.

Give Me Liberty: Chapter 17 Outline Essay

Populists or people’s party members were part of this era’s greatest political insurgency. It evolved from the Farmers’ Alliance, where farmers across forty-three states banded together to remedy their condition. The people’s party not only attracted farmers but also included all the â€Å"producing classes.† Their lasting legacy comes from the populist platform of 1892 and also from the fact that populism came close to replacing the two already existing parties. Explain how a system of racial segregation was established in the South: Since populism failed in the south, it was open to the induction of a new racial order. As much of Reconstruction was undone as possible by the Redeemers, so called because they believed they saved the region from alleged misgovernment and impending â€Å"black rule.† New laws were created that jailed anyone without a job, and the punishment for petty crimes was increased tenfold. Of course, the black population suffered the greatest after this. Then, convict laboring became popular which basically put blacks right back into slavery. Blacks continued to be denied high paying jobs, but a black middle class began to arise in the urban communities consisting of people with professions such as teachers and professors. Blacks in politics declined also, though not abruptly. They eventually lost their right to vote. In Plessy v. Ferguson it was made legal to segregate public places. Lynching also rose in popular ity again. Describe what ways the boundaries of American freedom grew narrower in this period: At the end of the 19th century, the thought process of Americans changed quite a bit, towards the idea that freedom should not be offered equally, only to the right and supposed deserving people. An Ohio newspaper stated that the influx of immigrants was overrunning cities, and that they â€Å"have no appreciation of the true meaning of liberty.† Most of the immigrants in this period came from Italy, Russia, Austro-Hungarian empires, and other countries in Southern and eastern Europe. Immigrants were looked down upon as horrible excuses for people who are inclined to steal and commit crime from birth. People started to look for a way to limit the rights of these people, and also prevent more from entering. In Boston, the immigration restriction league was formed and proposed that literacy would be required to enter the country. This was adopted by many states. Blacks also continued to see less and less rights in the South, as well as disenfranchisement. Suffrage was becoming more of a privilege in America, instead of a right. Explain how the United States emerged as an imperial power in the 1890’s: America started out slow as government officials and business owners decided the land and resources they had weren’t enough. At first, proposals to annex other countries were vetoed and over-sea focus remained mostly on trade. Then, a group of late nineteenth century thinkers proposed an idea of updated manifest destiny, and that the most beneficial thing to do for the world was to impose the Anglo-Saxon traditions on uncivilized societies and turn them into consumers of American goods. This was outlined in the book Our Country by Josiah Strong. Alfred T. Mahan took advantage of the time at which western expansion ended, as all land was finally claimed by a state. He published a book that urged American expansion to move outward because we could no longer capitalize on our own land. This book influenced James Blaine, secretary of state during the presidency of Harrison. Harrison requested the construction of four new battleships, while Blaine encouraged the president to push for Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Cuba to be set up as naval bases. The depression further exacerbated these ideas and plunged the country into a period of aggressive nationalism, where newspapers containing sentiments of nationalism views sold like hotcakes. Vocabulary: The Farmer’s Alliance – Farmer’s in the early 1890’s felt disenfranchised, so they banded together to aid each other. Spread across 43 states. The Populist Party – Evolved from the farmer’s alliance, except it included all working classes. Their platform still remains a classic American document. They sought to redefine the idea of freedom in the contemporary government. It attracted many followers, including a large number of women who wanted suffrage, and a small number of blacks. Populist Platform – Consisted of six main items: 1. Direct election of U.S. Senators 2. Government control of currency 3. A graduated income tax 4. Low cost public financing for farmers 5. Legalize unionizing 6. Public ownership of railroads William J. Bryan –Second candidate chosen by populists for president. He was supported by democrats as well and ran as democrat even. He condemned the gold standard, and advocated free silver and unrestricted minting of silver money. He hoped it would help relieve farmer debts. He was also devoutly religious. Coxey’s Army – A band of several hundred unemployed men led by Ohio businessman Jacob Coxey demanding economic relief. They marched to D.C. where they were forced to disperse by soldiers. Pullman Strike – Workers in a company owned town called Pullman called a strike due to low wages. The idea spread and the boycott called by the American Railway Union crippled national rail service, government injunctions were imposed to force laborers to work. Eugene V. Debs – Charismatic leader of the rail-worker’s union and the Pullman strike, was jailed for contempt of court. On his release, 100,000 people greeted him, and he called them lovers of liberty. He said that state and national government was going to take from the weak their birthright of freedom. Free Silver – Unrestricted minting of silver money, Supported by Bryan because he hoped to circulate more money to aid farmers. Election of 1896 – Won by William McKinley, the republican candidate. Bryan who represented the democrats lost by about 6 million votes. Bryan is noted to have driven many republicans to McKinley because of Bryan’s call for inflation and speeches against corporate arrogance. Northeast and Midwest industrial states voted republican, while less populous states voted for Bryan which is why he lost. William McKinley – Former Ohio governor and republican, won the election of 1896. His campaign manager Hanna created a political machine that flooded the states with pamphlets and other propaganda. The Redeemers – Claimed to have redeemed the southern region of misgovernment and black rule. They were able to impose their racial order due to the failure of populism in the south. When they gained power they quickly undid as much as they were able of Reconstruction. New laws incarcerated people for the simplest of crimes, and then convicts were bought and sold and used as a cheap form of labor, much like slavery. The Kansas Exodus – 50,000 blacks migrated to Kansas in the belief they would find political equality, freedom from violence, access to education and economic opportunity. Pap singleton handed out flyers portraying Kansas as a utopia. However, most blacks didn’t have the capital to farm so they ended up getting stuck there with low paying jobs. Decline of Black Politics and voting – Black people gave up their interest in politics after reconstruction, and they sought more fulfilling careers in business, law, or the church. This turned out to be their worst mistake because then their voting was taken away in the south as soon as it was possible. Poll taxes and other voter restrictions were enacted that were aimed at blacks but still lawful. Jim Crow Laws – State and local laws mandating de jure racial segregation in Southern states. Examples: Created the poll taxes, literacy tests, and the grandfather clause. Blacks were denied access to many public and municipal facilities such as parks, theaters, housing, and mass transit. Various economic sanctions were placed on blacks in order to maintain their status. Plessy V. Ferguson – Upheld the constitutionality of state laws requiring racial segregation in public facilities under the doctrine of â€Å"separate but equal.† Lynching – The murder of a person, usually black, and then hanging them on a tree to ridicule them. Authorities seldom involved themselves in the conflicts even though they knew about them. Chinese Exclusion Act – The first major legal restriction on immigration to the U.S.; prohibited further unskilled Chinese immigration in order to reduce competition for jobs. Booker T. Washington – Former slave who promoted economic independence and a slow transition for blacks into free society; founded the Tuskegee Institute. American Federation of Labor – Alliance of skilled workers in craft unions; focus was bread-and butter issues such as higher wages, shorter hours, and better working conditions. It was led by Samuel Gompers. Alfred Mahan – Author who argued in 1890 that the economic future of the United States rested on new overseas markets protected by a larger navy; wrote â€Å"The Influence of Sea Power Upon History.† Josiah Strong – Author of Our Country: Its Possible Future and Its Present Crisis, in which he urged Anglo-Saxons to â€Å"civilize and Christianize† the American West. Annexation of Hawaii – American sugar plantation owners began the annexation by overthrowing the country’s queen successfully, which was followed by American military action. McKinley requested a joint resolution of annexation because it was popular amongst Americans although not among Hawaiians. Spanish – American War – Caused by suspicions of the Maine, support of Cuban independence, economic depression, and Yellow Press Journalism. The effect it had on America was that it pushed it into imperialism, after the war was won by the U.S., they received three new territories. Teller Amendment – Promised that America would not annex Cuba after winning the war. Yellow Journalism – Journalism that exploits, distorts, or exaggerates the news to create sensations and attract readers. Open Door Policy – Allowed free flow of trade with Asia, while still barring Asians to enter the country. The Philippine War – Began after Filipinos incorrectly thought that they would self govern after independence from Spain. McKinley decided he still wanted the islands though, so they revolted and lost. â€Å"White Man’s Burden† – Poem by Rudyard Kipling outlining the contemporary thoughts of the government, which is it is our duty to civilize the lesser races. Anti – Imperialist League – Argued that an empire and democracy cannot coexist.

Foundation Degree (FdSc) in Food Manufacturing Management Essay

Introduction Audit objectives Why Audit? The intentions of this Audit are as follows: Using a recognised GMP standard (UNIDO/BRC) assess and quantify the effectiveness of the current quality system that is in place. Recommend, upon review, strategies for improvement that can be made to meet, and potentially exceed, the minimum retail requirements. * Upon completion, allow the business to set attainable goals and objectives in order to drive the business forward. This is in an efficiency, production and legal capacity. Company Profile Shetland SeaFish (Hull) limited started trading in 1922 as a specialist manufacturer of frozen fish products. The company employs 50-60 staff on site and has a total of 80-100 employees working throughout the group. The group has three factories. The other two are involved in primary processing and fish farming in the Shetland isles. The company supplies supermarkets, discounters, fish wholesalers, frozen food distributors and food service companies. The main market is the UK but the company also has a small export trade. Shetland SeaFish (Hull) limited has implemented a tightly controlled system of operational procedures including a fully documented HACCP system and quality manual. Business Environment The food industry is one under pressure. The fishing industry in particular is an area with its own particular problems which have a direct impact on this company as fish is its primary raw material. Over the past few years, environmental concern over diminishing fish stocks has contributed to increased governmental interdiction to manage fishing quotas. Although this may be the case for the national fishing industry, the world wide catch (up until recently) has been on a steady rise. This company sources raw material from worldwide locals (Particularly the Asiatic areas such as China and Scandinavian Seas) so the impact has been minimal. The way in which the company sources fish may change in the future, as internet auctions are on the increase, and this makes the market more of a volatile entity as prices can fluctuate as events affect fishing procurement. The other main problem with the food industry is the strength of the major multiples over the manufacturers. The major supermarkets to whom most food manufacturers supply, aim to maintain a constant gross profit margin which is typically quite large. To reflect this, the multiples like to pass down on-costs to the suppliers. Offers such as ‘buy one, get one free’ are fuelled by the manufacturer, and come straight from their bottom line. By running a â€Å"BOGOF† offer, it is affectively selling the product at half the unit price for the duration of the offer. One supermarket that this company has dealt with also deducts (on their own accord) a set price to go towards advertising and marketing. For example, a deduction of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,000 might be deducted from an invoice to them for product, with the reasoning being that even if that amount is not being used to directly promote that particular product, just by advertising the stores in general, the increased amount of customers flowing through the store, should they say, increase sales to the company’s product. This deduction from the invoice is imposed by the supermarket, and because you do not know how often they are going to do this, it makes costing for business more difficult. Combine this with the fact that at every price review by the supermarket buyer’s, they demand higher quality products, for a reduction in unit price, depresses margins lower than ever. The margin depression brings with it a set of problems. Because a company has to reduce its costs to meet the price points per units, so as to maintain the business with the supermarket, it makes it for a business to remain as profitable as what it would like to be. A smaller margin means that a company does not have the same amount of free capital available to it to make necessary re-investments which would help to procure more sales and increase throughput. In section four of the overview, a specific study of this is discussed in relation to an OEE study on one of the factories lines. There are several technological resolutions available which if purchased would go a long way to increase productivity. Unfortunately there are several financial constraints which place barriers to the procurement of these technological improvements. A brief discussion of ‘Chicken and Egg’ barriers is briefly explained in section four of the overview. The problem lies in the fact that if a new piece of equipment is needed to continue, or to improve production, then the company does not have enough liquid capital available to be able to purchase it outright. This means that the company would have to investigate borrowing facilities. The problem with this is that the company would like to have a secured amount of business from one of, or a combination of customers, in order to take on the risk of borrowing large amounts of money. The reason for this is that a company has to account for a payback period into their costing to cover borrowing and interest as well as machine depreciation. With shortened product placement tenures, the guarantee of continued business for this period is not there, inhibiting the business from wanting to take a risk of this magnitude. Eventually a company has to ‘bite the bullet’ and take a risk in order to increase turnover and throughput. Smaller margins also mean that there may not be enough of an increase in net profits to cover staff requirements. Each year there is a general staff appraisal to discuss the terms of wages and conditions. If the company is reduced in its profit capacity, then this trend is often relayed onto the workforce. f the company has diminished available finances then money is not possible to give staffs the annual increase in wages or to be able to invest in communal facilities. This has a knock on effect on staff morale and motivation if the annual increase is postponed or if it has to be cancelled. It manifests itself in some individuals in a revenge motivation mentality. As the individuals feel aggrieved because the company cannon comply with what the workers feel is a basic right, then they may wish to ‘get back’ at the company. At best this may just be by reducing their amount and quality of work, therefore their loyalty is affected. At worst, it could be resignation, dissention or even some form of industrial sabotage. Without the increase in wages rates it also lessens the difference between that and what the government sets as the national minimum wage. This poses a problem in relation to retaining, and gaining new employees. At one point, working in a factory used to attract a premium, but over time that has decreased to the point to where wage levels between shop workers and factory workers are almost the same. With the current work ethos among new employees (particularly young people) the dilemma of where would ‘I’ like to work arises. Either a (usually) smelly, shift work system, hard work inducing factory, or a shop, where they can go straight out from without having to go home for a shower and change, is less hard work and usually has a set nine until five work pattern. For the same, or similar, wage, most people appear to want to work in a shop. This displays a distinct shift from employment trends from primary or secondary employment to a majority of employment in the tertiary, or services, sector. If a company has a high turn-over of staff, then generally the quality of staffs decreases. This may then affect production output and efficiencies. One way that this can be combated is though an increase in staff training. This not only acts to both increase staff quality, but it also helps to improve the individuals’ job satisfaction. This is through increased competency, increased knowledge (i.e. making an individual more multi-skilled) and the feeling that they are not in a ‘dead-end’ job. In the industry sector to which this company falls, there is an increased amount of governmental grants available for staff training programmes. Within this factory, all of the employees of first tier level have all been through NVQ level 2 training in Food hygiene and handling. Production supervisors have received additional training to NVQ level three in this area. There is also a range of other courses that are being studied that are part funded, or reimbursed by, governmental policies. It is clear that there are some relatively easy ways to increase the efficiency and line throughputs of production. Unfortunately limiting factors come into play to inhibit potential growth as long as margins are squeezed smaller and smaller. This is a self perpetuating cycle. If allowed to make a little bit more profit then this can be channelled back into the business to increase production efficiency and overall turnover making the business more successful. Legal Issues There is a complex mine field of legislation that comes into play when dealing with a food unit operation. There is a whole plethora of acts and regulations which help to control the food industry which helps to protect the consumer from dubious practices and ensure that the final product that is consumed is of the expected substance, nature and quality demanded. There are several levels of legislation: * Acts, which are statutes passed down by parliament. * Regulations – which are made under specific acts * E.C. directives – which are passed down from the E.E.C. The Food safety enforcement officers have various enforcement powers which enable them to ensure that all of the legislation is correctly adhered to. These can be servicing notices, sampling and seizing foodstuffs, and also to instigate criminal proceedings if an offence is made. The main legislation affecting this business are to be listed as following; Food Safety Act, 1990 This act is in relation to the sale of food for human consumption and is applicable to all food premises. This act makes it an offence to: * Render food injurious to health * Sale or possession of food injurious to health, or that is unfit for, or is contaminated. * Sale of food that is not of the correct nature, substance and quality demanded by the consumer. * Give any false or misleading descriptions. The Food Premises (Registration) Regulations, 1991 (SI No. 2825) amended 1997 This regulation requires all food premises to register with the local, or port authority, in the area that they are situated. Every registration authority must keep a register, which can be accessed by the public for inspection. Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulation, 1995 (SI. No. 1763) This act provides general requirements for all food handlers and premises (with specific requirements for preparation areas, moveable and temp. premises, transport, equipment and the like) to be kept clean, facilitate cleaning, and prevent the accumulation of dirt. It also specifies a requirement for all food premises to identify all steps in the business that is critical to food safety, and to minimise these risks. The Food Safety (Temperature Controls) Regulations, 1995 (SI. No. 2200) This determines any matter involving a risk to food safety, in relation to the nature of the food, manner in which it is handled and packed, and processes and conditions under which it has been displayed or stored. No person should keep food that is likely to support the growth of pathogenic bacteria or the accumulation of their toxins. Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations, 1996 These regulations govern the origins of animal foodstuffs from countries outside the EEC. Since 1993, foodstuffs imported from other members of the EEC are not liable for inspection due to the open border policy, but they are still subject to the Food Safety Act 1990. Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (SI. No. 1499) These require most foodstuffs that are to be sold for human consumption be labelled with: * The name of the food. * List of ingredients (Quantifying ingredients mentioned in the name of the food). * Best before dates, which indicate minimum durability or perish ability of the food in relation to microbial or product degradation beyond being fit for human consumption. * Any specific storage conditions required. * Name and address of the manufacturer The Quick-Frozen Foodstuffs Regulations, 1990 (SI. No. 2615) amended 1994 Food that has undergone quick-freezing (i.e. whereby the zone of maximum crystallization as rapidly as possible) should be labelled as such. It must be suitably packaged so as to protect it from microbial and other contamination and also to protect from de-hydration. Must be labelled with: * BBE * Storage requirements including temps. * Batch reference * A clear message not to refreeze after defrosting. There are also some specific legislation relating to food poisoning: Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1994 The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations, 1988 (SI. No. 1546) National Health Service (Amendment) Act 1986 The National Health Service (Food Premises) Regulations, 1987 (SI. No. 18) The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) These pieces of legislation relate to reports of incidences of food poisoning and food borne illness. It empowers officers to investigate food premises on the basis of risk to increased infection, and to identify the source of food poisoning illnesses. Separate to food related issues there are also a number of other pieces of legislation that apply to most businesses. These are: Health & Safety The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, 1994 (SI. No. 3246) The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation, 1985 (SI. No. 2023) The Electricity at Work Regulations, 1989 (SI. No. 635) The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 2051) The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 3004) The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 2966) The Manual Handling Operations Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 2793) All of these laws are in relation to keeping equipment in good order; provide all PPE, also in good order, and to report all accidents and medical problems caused by/ at work. There are some new environmental legislation in relation to waste water and effluent, and also the climate change levy. There are also waste land fill laws (After B.S.E. and Foot and Mouth no food wastes can be further processed into animal feeds) It is clear that there are a lot of laws that help to keep the consumer, and employees safe, both in relation to food safety and personal safety. In order to comply with all of these laws, and check with the company’s compliance to these, the office of fair trading and the environmental health office audit the factory on a regular basis. Section 2 Key Findings Summations on Audit checklists Section by section review HACCP System: The company has a very detailed and comprehensive HACCP system following the Codex principles and based on risk assessment for each product type. The latest revision is June 2002. The HACCP documentation includes Introduction (Intro, team, product description, intended use, flow diagram, and verification of flow, controls and hazards), Process flow (product, production process), Hazards, Hazard analysis and Hygiene controls. The site technical manager who is qualified in advance food hygiene leads the HACCP team. The other HACCP team members include the production manager, financial director, business consultant, Q.A. supervisor and H&S officer. They have all received training in HACCP principles. Eight CCP’s have been identified and clearly marked around the site. These include; R.M. intake, band saw room, product storage, packaging storage, coatings, sauce making, sauce buggies, sauce deposition and metal detection. Shetland SeaFish (in conjunction with Cravenglow consultant limited) has produced a handbook for employees entitled â€Å"Understanding HACCP and the British Retail Consortium Quality Award†. This book was issued to all staff before going through their first successful BRC audit, and is issued to new staff during induction. The Handbook explains; HACCP terms and working practices, details the eight CCP’s, How to control potential Hazards, How HACCP works, Different types of Hazard, other important HACCP information and an introduction to the BRC standard Quality Management System: The site operations/quality manual has been fully implemented and indexed in the latest revision (Revision 4 October 2002) to the BRC technical standard version three. Policies and procedures referenced to the HACCP manual and currently cover all of the identified critical controls. Each working area has its own handbook that includes some or all of the following: Factory cleaning procedures Technical terms Key staff Safe working practices Factory procedures QA procedures applicable to the area. A specifications file maintained by the company has a programme of internal audits that cover the entire quality system twice per year. The handling of complaints is the responsibility of the Technical manager. Complaints are referenced individually, by customer, and complaint type. Corrective actions arising from complaints are recorded. An approved supplier list is in operation, deliveries assessed at intake, and supplier performance reviewed quarterly. One of the key findings of this audit has been that although the supplier audit plans clearly defined and laid out, it has not been adhered to. This needs rectifying by the time of the next audit. Factory Environmental Standards: The factory is well located just off the main route into Hull, and has a logical process flow. The buildings are well constructed. Walls panelled with false ceiling and smooth concrete floors. Equipment is industry standard and is be well maintained. There is a planned maintenance system administered by a well-resourced engineering department. Staff changing facilities are provided by separate storage of work wear and personnel wear with staff locker rooms situated well away from production. Work clothing situated in changing facilities on the entrance to the production facility. A dedicated night hygiene crew operate a comprehensive cleaning programme, verified using bioluminescence ATP swabs. This form of assessment is under utilised. By conducting more swabs, a more indicative trend analysis can be compiled. This system could also be extended to incorporate hand swabbing, so as to gauge the effectiveness of the staffs hand washing. A comprehensive pest control contract is in place with â€Å"Rentokil† and no infestation reported. The only addition to this regime would be to introduce catch tray analysis. This is not done at present, although Rentokil have been asked to provide a quote for the service. The reason that catch tray analysis is so important is that various indicator species of insect may help to identify a particular problem within the factory. Another option is that the accountant is a qualified entomologist. The suggestion has been made that they complete the catch tray analysis on behalf of the company. Transport and waste removal are both contracted out services. Product Control: There is a product development procedure detailing the process steps and documentation held for customer driven development work. Development work is mainly restricted to crumbs, batters and sauces and as such, the suppliers of these materials carry out a lot of the work. Product is analysed on line hourly by trained QC staff External chemical and microbiological analyses are carried out at a UKAS accredited external laboratory. The result turn around is typically ten days. There is an investigation into the possibility of bringing the microbiological testing into a feasible in-house solution. The testing procedures preferred are the rapid methods that are now available on the market. These allow for rapid enumeration and identification in unprecedented speeds compared to traditional plating methods. Because of the simplicity of the tests, it reduces the degrees of error that might be entertained in old style methods, and also it helps to simplify the lab quality manual. All of these rapid methods are AOAC accredited methods and are thus suitable for ISO 17025 standards, which is a pre-requisite for the accreditation edicts stated for BRC compliance. Products coded to allow stock rotation, and on-site stock levels kept to a minimum. The cold store has the capacity for approximately 600 pallets, which are on a mobile racking system. Metal detection is carried out on all products at 3.5mm non-fe and 3.5mm fe. Legislation is on the way to incorporate testing using S. Steel rods as well, using the same sensitivity levels. Product is released based on on-line QC testing. A non-conformance procedure is used to prevent the despatch of non-conforming product and its restriction to quarantine. Process Control: Control of sauce cooking and processing is closely monitored by QC and thermographs are in place to verify sauce cooking profiles. QC also regularly verifies process parameters and freezer temperatures. Continuous quantity control monitoring equipment is in place on the coated fish line. Check-weigh systems are calibrated at the start of each day following a detailed calibration procedure. Hourly QC checks and daily taste panels verify process parameters and specifications requirements have been fulfilled and all measuring equipment is calibrated at appropriated frequencies. A small amount of kosher product is processed on site and the delivery processing and despatch of kosher materials is closely monitored. Personnel: Staffs trained to NVQ levels 1 and 2 in hygiene and safe product handling by external consultants. Plans are in place to introduce an in-house training scheme. The Q.A. supervisor holds a CIEH certificate of Advanced Food Hygiene. Once they complete the CIEH professional trainers’ certificate, it will allow them to train new staffs, and re-iterate to current, basic food hygiene and H&S. Hygiene rules are also available in the staff handbook, given at induction. Induction includes hygiene and H&S requirements, fire drill procedures including a tour of the facility (highlighting emergency exits), company objectives and the review of the individual’s accountability level. Staff and visitors complete a basic medical questionnaire before entering the factory. Protective clothing provided and laundered by â€Å"Brooks† based in Hull and only specialising in laundering of food industry clothing. Supervisory staff and line leaders trained to NVQ levels 3. Detailed training records are in place, but not review on a frequent basis. Section 3 Improvement strategy Recommendations on enhancement Why did it fail? What can be done? The overall result of this audit is promising. The main sections that are in need of improvement are the cleaning and management systems. With regards to the cleaning controls one of the biggest deficiencies is that there were no daily cleaning logs in place at the time of the audit. These are necessary to verify that all of the pieces of equipment that has been used during the course of the production shift have been cleaned effectively. This should also incorporate a list of equipment that needs weekly or monthly cleaning, similar to the engineers’ protective maintenance system. Provisions are in place to indicate cleaning frequency, but by combining this with a daily cleaning log a system of records can be obtained to help with any ‘Due Diligence’ defences that might need to be called into play. The preventative step to reduce the microbial and soil loads within the factory are the cleaning schedules, but the due diligence defence are the daily logs. These are a record confirmation that the schedule has been implemented, and also provides accountability of who conducted the particular action that might be in question. It also helps the management team to assess the manning levels required for a particular cleaning regime. By combining these logs with an effective utilisation of the Lightning ATP hygiene verification system it would be possible to more accurately monitor the effectiveness of the cleaning systems that are in place. At present the unit is not used at levels that are going to supply the monitoring team with a set of results that are statistically significant. By increasing the levels of testing with the unit, a better picture of cleanliness levels can be obtained by using the trend analysis software to scrutinize past results and to predict problems that might occur in the future. This system could also be extended to apply to incorporate hand washing checks. This could be done on a random set of checks throughout the week. It might be possible to correlate this to the expected and actual bacterial soap usage rates to see if there is a relationship. This might be an extra way to monitor the effectiveness of the staff in the own personal hygiene in relation to hand washing. The engineers need to keep an inventory of parts as a repair is carried out so that all pieces are accounted for upon completion so as to eliminate the possible physical contamination problem, or at least to identify if there is one. A number of hose pipes were observed around the factory, liberally strewn on the floor. This is not bad GMP; it also creates an impression of untidiness and not caring for not only visitors, but also to other staff. Perhaps the purchasing or some hose reel storage units. If these hoses were kept on one of these units, it would automatically reel in and is then kept neatly on the wall, off the floor and out of the way of people walking around the factory. During the course of the audit the food waste skip was left open. This leaves the door open to many potential problems. The first is that it has a potential to attract pests. By leaving the skip doors open is may provides a food source for advantageous vermin. It was observed that there were some birds on the fence which might have been attracted by the residue surrounding the skip. To eliminate this problem construction of a reaching handle for the skip door should be made. By keeping the skip door closed it prevents vermin from entering the skip to scavenge for food. With the skip door closed, thus stopping pests from gaining a free food store, the area around the skip must be kept clear also; otherwise keeping the door closed is a futile effort. This area not only needs to be swept, but also cleaned down with a detergent to emulsify the fatty residue left from the batter scraps. This would also help to make the area safer for the employees as it would make the area left prone to causing slippages, and this is especially important as there is a small set of steps out there. There is no provision for persons to wash their hands upon re-entering the factory after going to the food skip. There person would have to go to the basins outside the packaging area. A small basin or alcohol station should be installed to prevent this. The main body of the factory was in very good condition. There were a few incidences that need to be rectified in order to improve the grade. Around the sauce making area, the ceiling tiles above them had some signs of mould growth. This is an indication that the ventilation is perhaps inadequate for that area. Some form of steam extraction unit might need to be investigated in that area. In the short term, regular cleaning with a sterilizer (with some form of mould growth inhibitor) would suffice, but this would only deal with the symptoms, and not deal with the route cause. The sauce agitators in this area are in need of recovering. The motors on the agitators have some small areas of paint flaking from them. Even though the paint is blue in colour, it provides a potential physical contamination problem. This needs to be tackled in several ways. The first and easiest to do is to recover the motors. The motors can be covered with a stainless steel covering which would prevent both paint flakes falling into the sauce, but also dirt accumulation on the motor. Another method is to use an alternative agitator motor. There are several on the market, and several of these are not mounted directly above the sauce making kettles. There are also some other methods for sauce production, that if increased production were to be required, then they should defiantly be investigated. Another area in the factory that could benefit from additional extraction/ventilation is directly surrounding the coating line. When the fryer is producing breaded products, then the first stage crumb, which is a fine crumb, causes a lot of dust to be blown in the air. This causes excessive dust accumulation on the pipe works above the fryer line. This needs additional cleaning to remove the dust in this area. Perhaps a form of extraction system should be investigated in this area. As a minor point, there was also a small pool of water surrounding the con-air compressor units. This implies that the floor does not bevel in the right direction. Again this is a situation that has a long term objective, but also has a short term measure. The long term goal is to re-lay the floor in that area to make the floor slope in the right direction (i.e. from the wall to the drain). The short term solution is to have the cleaners regularly squeegee the floor of water. Standing water is a particular problem in that it provides excellent breeding ground for Listeria spp. Bacteria. Listeria is a food borne bacteria that is naturally found in the environment. By providing pools of standing water, it magnifies the problem and opens the potential for increased incidences of Listeria monocytogenes poisoning. It is a strange practice that although there are manager and team leader meetings on a regular basis, there were no supervisor meetings held. This is a gross deficiency, not for GMP, but for the lack of communicational strokes that are missed from these meetings. By conducting these meetings a dialogue can be maintained between the higher levels of management and the junior levels. During these sessions company objectives can be relayed, problems considered, and grievances examined. It is also an excellent opportunity to provide motivation to the staff and to keep them apprised of important happenings within the company, such as potential sales, production turnover, NPD and the direction of the company. These meeting should be implemented effectively immediately. If not in their own right, then try combining the team leader meetings. This may pose a problem with truthful communication if the team leaders feel inhibited by the presence of the supervisors, especially if they have any grievances with them. The omission of the supervisor meetings exacerbates the next point. That is the cross communication of ideas and instructions between departments. This point is discussed in more detail in the second overview of the audit. The job descriptions that are in place for the key positions within the factory are deficient in the totality. I would suggest a review of these be taken with the specific aim to include the individuals’ main duties and responsibilities, full accountability, and any health and safety requirements that are obligatory to know. By providing a comprehensive description it helps the individual to identify their own progress against what is expected of them. It would also help to identify any training needs by comparing what the individuals’ actual abilities to what is needed for that position. During an appraisal a gauge of competency can be made against the standard and a measure of feedback can be relayed to the person. This also ties into the fact that no records are kept of personal record reviews. These need to be conducted on a regular occasion, and if they are being conducted at the moment, then they need to be recorded. There are some clear objectives that have been identified and now need to be applied and rectified to improve the factory as a whole. Section 4 Conclusions Overview of progression stratagems Step by step guide Structure and Fabric * Hand washing basin/ alcohol station to be installed by exit to food skip. * Foods skip needs to be looked at and a handle constructed to enable the lid to be closed. * Sauce kettles needs to be looked at for possible installation of extraction units. * Sauce agitator motors needs to be covered to prevent paint flaking into product. * Hose pipes to be placed into self reeling units. * Pool of water needs investigating around con-air units. Floor needs re-laying in that area. * Dust accumulation above fryer area. Additional extraction needed. Pest prevention * Pallet shed door needs to be kept closed. Pallets stored away from walls in storage. * Some drain covers missing and needs replacing. * Catch tray analysis needs to be done. Cleaning systems * Daily cleaning logs introduced. * Engineers inventory of parts during a repair to prevent contamination. * Effective utilisation, and expansion, of ATP hygiene monitoring system. Management Controls * Introduction of supervisor meetings. * Additional training to supplement and increase knowledge of GMP systems, Food hygiene and legislation. * Review of job descriptions. * Record employee appraisals. Section 5 References Background / further reading. Including bibliography Hygiene for Management, Sprenger. R. A. 1998 (8th Ed) Cleaning, Dillion M, et al Inspirational Supervisor, Shaw J. 1999 FdSc Food manufacture management GMP Course work notes, Dillion M. 2002 Log book & Overviews Overviews Part 1: Basic findings from two sections of the manual. Section 1 – Structure and Fabrication The factory has a logical process flow and the buildings are of sound construction. All internal factory wall surfaces are panelled with a lowered false ceiling and smooth resin floors. Equipment is industrial food grade standard and appears to be well maintained. A preventative planned maintenance system is in operation and resourced by a competent engineering department. The work wear is situated in a separate clean changing area immediate on entrance to the production area. The pest control is out-sourced to Rentokil (initial services) with no signs of infestation problems to report. OBS 1: The floor is made of an impervious material and when combinations of two immiscible liquids (such as oil and water) mix, it causes some sections of the floor around the fryer area are slippery. Recommendation – Review the cleaning schedule for this area to include a protocol stating that the floor in that area is to be cleaned as often as required throughout the production day, in addition to the usual scheduled cleans. Another suggestion would be to use a floor covering/mat to make the area more non-slip. Timescale – 30days OBS 2: There was a small pool of standing water around the con-air units during production. Recommendation – The long-term goal would be to re-lay/repair that section of floor to provide an adequate slope to provide water run-off into the drainage channels. Action to be taken place in the mean while would be to revise the cleaning schedule to include that the area is to be cleared as often as required throughout the production day. Timescale – 90 days OBS 3: There was no steam extraction above the sauce making kettles giving rise to N/C1. N/C1: Evidence was noted by observation and noted, audit checklist ref: GMP Section 1 -ref 1.8.2, that there was the beginnings of mould build up on the ceiling tiles above the sauce kettles. Recommendation – Investigate the possible methods of fume extraction best suited to the needs of the task. Possible installation of an extractor cowling. Action that can be introduced quickly is that a revision of the cleaning schedule to include weekly/fortnightly/ or as required cleaning to be undertaken in that area using a detergent with mould growth inhibitor. Timescale – 90days Section 2 – Storage Facilities Storage or R.M, WIP, finished goods, packaging and tainting elements are well segregated with observed codes of practice to prevent cross contamination. Products are coded to allow stock rotation on a FIFO basis and the stock levels that are kept on site are kept to a minimum. There are no contractual off-site storage facilities used. Products are released on the basis of on-line QC testing. Procedures are in place regarding damaged or defective goods segregation and disposal. OBS 1: Only visual checks are made of the contracted out logistics company’s vehicles. Recommendation – Revise an audit schedule to visit their head office so as to not only audit the vehicles used for the transportation of goods, but also to review the company policies and procedures regarding GMP practices. Timescale – 90days Part 2: Area to improve. The area of greatest need is management control, especially in relation to motivation of staffs and inter-departmental communication. A highly motivated workforce can increase the potential output efficiency greatly, without the need for costly capital expenditure. â€Å"Poor communication is the catalyst for future problems† John Shaw, Business consultant The vast majority of problems within the workplace arise due to the lack of or inadequate communication between colleagues. All members of the organisation must develop their verbal and written skills to allow for ease of dialogue between the two parties. Regular dialogue is essential for the pooling together of ideas and suggestions that helps to minimise problems and help to achieve the company objectives. Employees must be able to interpret management edicts and be able to pass on these instructions to other staffs clearly and concisely in order to achieve peak performance. One opinion that might be made is that the company’s impersonal uses of memos are substituting important meetings that would be held to discuss some of the key issues. By conducting regular meetings to open up a dialogue for discussion, it would help to eliminate any confusion that might have arisen because of their own interpretation of what is trying to be stressed in the communiquà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. By opening a dialogue between colleagues, it helps to make them feel a part of the team because they are being consulted and being offered to stress their opinions and grievances. During the meetings, it lets the individual know exactly what is being expected of them to do, with little chance for error. Once the individual knows the parameters in which they are expected to perform, and then the individual has some attainable guidelines on how to conduct him or herself around the workplace. Being made part of a team is one essential tool in the motivation of staffs. By including their opinions within any debate, it helps to raise that person’s self-esteem. Once a person begins to become motivated, it often leads to greater job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is a combination of hard work and competence. Employees who reflect pride in their work are an infectious source of inspiration to others. This can be seen again in persons whom take personal pride and lead by example. Motivation is a key component to modern businesses. Staffs should take every opportunity to motivate others constantly. One way to encourage your staff is to let them know what is required of them by defining the day’s objectives. Use of praise and encouragement inspire maximum performance from an individual from a few choice words or phrases. Where an individual or team needs berating if they have made a mistake, remain calm and resolve the problem through constructive criticism. This is where the situation is given an explanation of what went wrong, gentle words to re-enforce the need that it does not re-occur, and gives further guidance on how it can be avoided in the future. It is imperative that if it is an individual involved, then take them to one side to discipline them. This way you are not undermining them and therefore their personal dignity is maintained. Another critical instruction is not to overreact to minor problems. Destructive and unwarranted criticism is harmful to morale and can easily sweep across a work force. It is also a good idea to be receptive to reasonable grievances that they might have and suggestions that they might make. Motivation encourages individuals and teams to continually achieve the company’s goals through sustained peak performance. Part 3 Cleaning and the Law Cleaning plays a fundamental part of food hygiene. It is pivotal in preventing contamination of both microbiological and chemical, but it also helps to make the indicator signs of pest infestation easier to spot. All cleaning comprises of four factors: * Heat * Mechanical energy * Chemical energy * Contact time Cleaning is usually a five stage process (although not exclusively). 1) Pre-clean 2) Main clean 3) Rinse 4) Disinfect 5) Final rinse 6) Drying The relative energy and time components of a cleaning programme can differ greatly. This is all dependants on the load of soil age, the chemical properties of the cleaning agent, and the surface to be cleaned. Staffs should receive clear concise instruction on how to correctly conduct the cleaning schedule. The chemicals used within this factory are as follows: Chemical Action Fatsolve Surfactant degreasing detergent Bleach Hypochlorite based disinfectant Sparkle Surfactant degreasing detergent Acid foam Acidic de-scaler Caustic floor cleaner Alkaline (NaOH) floor cleaner Caustic pearls Alkaline (NaOH) fryer cleaner Tego 2001 Biocidal disinfectant/detergent combination All staffs that will be handling these products for use in hygiene must receive full training and monitored for competency and efficiency. All of these products must comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to protect the employee whom is to be using these chemicals. This Act states specific legislation to include: The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regs, 1994 (SI. 1994 No. 3246) (COSHH) These regulations require employers to assess the hazards and provide suitable controls. Implementation is by means of risk assessment. COSHH is concerned with chemicals that can be classified as toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant. All of the products used within the body of the factory are supplied with all COSHH safety sheets and are filed in the technical department. Each of these products is mentioned in the company HACCP plan to include the risk assessment of these products. Chemicals (Hazards, Information & Packaging) Regs, 1993 (CHIP) Again, this states that all chemicals sold must be supplied with a COSHH safety sheet provided for the purchaser by the supplier. This must include detailed information about the product, its hazard classification under CHIP regulations. It is also prohibited to decant harmful chemicals into unmarked containers. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at work Regs, 1992 These regulations enforce the employer to provide all necessary PPE required for a specific task so as to minimise the health and safety risks that the employees might be subjected to. There are several good reasons why effective cleaning is so important besides those mentioned earlier: * It creates a good visual impression for both workers and visitors alike giving a sense that the business cares. * Helps to maximise the efficiency and costing of several types of products. For example, if a sauce is left to build up deposits, then it would restrict the diameter of the pipe work, making the motor have to run harder to pump product through, thus reducing the lifetime of that component. Its also helps to reduce wastege * Legal obligations. It is that final point which needs further explaining. The food safety Act, 1990 This law makes it an offence to contaminate food so that it would be unreasonable to expect it to be used for human consumption in its current state. It also states that a food proprietor and staffs must identify all steps that are critical to food safety and minimise those risks. This is further backed up by the Food Safety (GFH) Regs, 1995 This states: * Premises must be kept clean, designed to facilitate cleaning, and to protect against the accumulation of dirt. * Make it a requirement for all food business proprietors to identify any step in activities of the business which is critical to food safety, and to introduce restrictive controls at those points identified. This law allows an enforcement officer to raise a non-conformance on the actual presence of dirt, and does not have to prove that that soilage poses a risk to health There is a clear legal and moral obligation that wherever there is a risk to food, a business proprietor must ensure that the working premises are kept clean so as to minimise the risks to public health. These responsibilities must be stressed to all employees not only in their induction period, but also sporadically throughout their employment. Part 4: PEST in relation to OEE During the course of this audit, an OEE analysis was conducted on one of the production lines (See OEE exercise workbook). The aim of GMP is to improve the manufacturing performance, and by using OEE calculations it is possible to gain a quantifiable index of performance. Using the precepts behind GMP it is possible to identify areas that could benefit from improvement so as to improve production performance. The identification of the â€Å"seven wastes† which are the non-value added and also the value added sections of a production period are vital. It is the main objective to reduce the first, and increase the latter. With regards to the production run that was studied several strategies can be entertained to help to minimise waste due to the above mentioned wastes. Firstly, fish cakes are products that produce only small amounts of waste due to the fact that defects can often be re-worked during the same production run. Defect cores can be removed from the line by operatives and then deposited back in the koppens former to be re-moulded into another cake. Reducing the throughput can often help reduce the rejects levels. Running at just a few strokes under the maximum for the line might make it more cost effective to reduce the throughput by a minimal amount in order to dramatically decrease the amount of reject product. By doing this the ‘right first time’ figure could increase to raise overall production efficiency. If speed is the overriding factor, i.e. the faster the speed, the higher the defect rate, then just by reducing the stroke rate of the machine, the amount of over-processing required would be reduced. If however speed were not the decisive factor, then an investigation of the machines capabilities would have to be reviewed, and if it cannot be removed, then do you accept this defect level caused by the machine, or do you evaluate the possibility of purchasing a more efficient piece of kit? With regards to the machine that is in place, the Koppens former is approximately 10-15yrs old and forms cakes by using hydraulic cups and a forming plate. Over the years the maximum output of the machine has dropped by approximately 25% from the max of 40s/m to now 30s/m. Would it be better to buy a new piece of kit. Perhaps the purchasing an AEW forming machine? Unfortunately these are costly pieces of kit. Costing in the range of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½250K. This is a large prohibiting factor in an SME of the size of the company in question, with their limited financial resources. In order to justify a capital expenditure of that magnitude, a significant order would have to be procured to allow for the required payback period to make it a cost effective purchase. It is almost chicken and egg scenario. With a new piece of machinery of this nature the potential for increased throughput of not only this line, but also of others would rise significantly, but monies or orders to cover payback periods would have to be secured before capital expenditure is considered. It is a difficult political climate with retail customers at present. More and more of the major multiples only issue contracts for periods of usually a year (although there has recently been a downward trend to decrease these to six monthly). So a guarantee off continued business is not certain, which prohibits the purchase of the new machinery. The small margins also affect the staff efficiency and retention (thus quality). Because margins are tight, only a small amount on the top of national minimum wage can be applied. This can limit not only the response to job advertisements, but also with staff retention and loyalty. With a higher staff turnover, the quality of staffs employed often reduces, thus affecting the throughputs and efficiencies of the lines. This interplay of factors is what has to be investigated further upon before resolutions can be found. Identification is just the first step in an overall improvement plan. Appendix 1: Summary Sheets GMP Audit Material Enclosed in this booklet are copies of the audit checklists that you can use to audit your site against each element of GMP. You should aim to audit 2 elements of the standard each week and use the techniques discussed in week 1 on problem solving to objectively assess each element of the standard. If you wish to discuss any elements in more detail then contact one of the tutors on the course who will be able to help you clarify any problems or issues that you may have. IMPORTANT You will need to copy the food safety and hygiene audit assessment form each week, as you will need to use this to summarize for each assignment. Using the Sample Assessment Forms for the 10 sections of Good Manufacturing Practice identify: 1. Areas of Strength and Weakness for the GMP sections for your own plant or operation, using the checklists provided. 2. The causes of problems which are inherent with the areas of weakness 3. The barriers and aids which will effect the improvement process 4. Prioritise the actions needed to improve your Good Manufacturing Practice needs, using the assessment forms, which should be included within your weekly assignment. A grading system has been given on each checklist. You may use this grading system to help you to assess your factory, but feel free to modify this. If you do modify the system then you should explain, quite clearly, how the grading or scoring system is used. Key to the ABCD grading system for assessing the sections and elements of the GMP standard: Grade A Excellent Scores 50 points. Grade A scored when there are no safety problems or issues. Requires no further action. Grade B Satisfactory Scores 30 points. Actionable within defined timescale as agreed at audit. Grade C Major Scores 10 points. Actionable within one working week. Grade D Critical Scores 0 points. A Grade D is automatically awarded when a critical safety issue is identified, and is actionable immediately.