HACCP Physical Hazards

HACCP Physical hazards or foreign materials/bodies are any physical item which is not intended to be included in foodstuff. In some cases these may cause injury if consumed (a hazard). To reduce the risk of physical hazards, a risk assessment as part of the HACCP study should be conducted

Physical hazards are described as extrinsic – those which are not associated with the product (e.g. glass, plastic) or intrinsic- those which may be associated with the product (e.g. egg shell, feathers).

Examples of extrinsic items that are physical hazards:

Glass

Metal

String

Fibre

Bristles

Wood

Paper & cardboard

Packaging

Hair

Clothing e.g. fastenings

Cosmetics e.g. false eyelashes, fingernails, nail varnish

Plastic

Surfaces

Examples of physical hazards that are intrinsic items

Animal products

Eggshell

Bone

Hide (Rind)

Feathers

Cartilage

Produce

Stones in vegetables eg frozen peas

Wood

Leaves

Pips/ Fruit stones

Pests

Insect Parts

Whole Insects

Larvae

Eggs

Parts of rodents

Droppings

Example control measures for some extrinsic physical hazards are:

Glass – ban from production area/control using films / glass  registers which are regularly checked.

Metal- inspection of equipment and metal detectors- regularly tested and with trained operators. Can’t afford a metal detector? You need to control the metal in the production area. I can supply the documentation that you need here. 

String- Fibres and Bristles – Colour code in equipment to contrast with product. Visual inspection, which is documented.

Plastic- brittle hard plastics- visual register and soft plastics- colour code and visual inspection

Wood – ban from production areas

Paper & cardboard – control usage

Pests  – proofing/ Good housekeeping/ Pest control contract

Hair – hair nets and beard snoods

Clothing e.g. fastenings – visual checks and standard uniform enclosing all outside clothing above the knee.

Cosmetics e.g. false eyelashes, fingernails, nail varnish – use a personal hygiene policy to exclude these.

Jewellery and piercings – these can be specified in a personal hygiene policy.

If you want ready to use policies and procedures, check out the Guardian Hub here.