GLOBAL STANDARD

FOOD SAFETY ISSUE 7

UNDERSTANDING
CLEANING OF
WORKWEAR
BY EXTERNAL
CONTRACT
LAUNDRIES
LIABILITY
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The Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 7: Understanding Cleaning of Workwear by External Contract Laundries and the terms of
the disclaimer set out above shall be construed in accordance with English law and shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction
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British Retail Consortium 2016

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UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 1

CONTENTS
UNDERSTANDING CLEANING
OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL
CONTRACT LAUNDRIES
1. INTRODUCTION 3
1.1 Purpose 3
1.2 Scope 3
1.3 Responsibility 3

2. LAUNDRY BEST PRACTICE 4

2.1 Flow process 4
2.2 Critical points 5
2.3 HACCP/GMP assessment 6
2.4 Quality standards 6
2.5 Misused workwear 6
2.6 Washing processes 8
2.7 Testing 11
2.8 Preventing cross-contamination 12
2.9 Needle, pin and sharps control 13
2.10 Workwear design and barcode labelling 13

3. ADDITIONAL USEFUL INFORMATION 14

APPENDIX 1 AUDIT CHECKLIST 16

UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 2

SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 PURPOSE
The food industry requires a range of prescribed processes to ensure that food industry clothing
orpersonal protective clothing is safe (for convenience, all relevant clothing is referred to as
workwear in this guideline). Commercial laundries cleaning and/or supplying garments must be
able to remove soiling, including foreign bodies, allergens and microbiological contamination.

This BRC guideline Understanding Cleaning of Workwear by External Contract Laundries has
beenproduced to help food companies, manufacturers, supply chain and packing operations
understand good practice with respect to the laundering of workwear at contract laundries.

This guideline has been written in conjunction with the Brilliant Laundry Group, a leading business
in delivering a first class workwear service to the food retail, manufacturing and packaging industry.

As an established business they have an excellent reputation for their knowledge of the commercial
food market. They work closely with their customers to determine the exact requirements to meet
their business needs by combining expertise, innovative systems, and excellent customer service.

For a free consultation with the Brilliant Laundry Group please call them on 0845 8732470.

1.2 SCOPE
The scope of Understanding Cleaning of Workwear by External Contract Laundries covers all
garments laundered for food manufacturers by contract laundries.

1.3 RESPONSIBILITY
The responsibilities of personnel involved in contract laundry are as follows:

Laundry senior management board Ensure adequate resources and skills are in place
in addition to maintaining procedures, equipment and systems to meet the required standards.
Laundry managers Ensure all staff carry out laundering processes so that they are
completed correctly and that they adhere to quality and hygiene standards, including training,
health and safety, and welfare.
Production operators Carry out laundering processes to the required standards.
Auditors Ensure that laundries conform to laundering procedures, that processes meet the
required standards and that customer requirements are fulfilled. Many laundries have opted to
develop systems based on ISO 9001 system to ensure that they meet customer requirements.

UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 3

SECTION 2
LAUNDRY BEST PRACTICE
2.1 FLOW PROCESS
Figure 1 shows the key steps in the contract laundry process.

Figure 1 Key steps in the contract laundry process

Soiled at Customer
Linen Room

Transfer to Transport to Sort Soiled/

Laundry Vehicle Laundry Segregate

Wash Weigh Quailty Check

Dry Inspect Pack

Return Clean to
Customer

UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 4

2.2 CRITICAL POINTS
Within the flow process, there are several steps that are critical to the quality and integrity of the
laundry process. Table 1 provides some examples.
Table 1 Critical points in the flow process
FLOW PROCESS
Soiled workwear at
customer site
Transfer workwear to
laundry vehicle and
deliverto laundry
Deliver workwear to laundry
Sort or segregate workwear
Quality check
Weigh workwear
Store soiled workwear
Wash
Transfer clean workwear
Finish
Quality inspection of
workwear
Packing
Clean workwear returned
tocustomer
UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES
WHAT/WHERE CRITICAL POINTS
In laundry room Workwear collected on agreed day
Dedicated bin, barrow or locker
Laundry bag or cage Time workwear collected and/or delivered
Laundry vehicle Micro-loading
On laundry vehicle N/A
Classification of workwear: Correct wash process
White/coloured proteinsoiling Dedicated washes
White/coloured mineralsoiling
Specific washes
Check pockets Foreign body removal
Turn workwear right way round Effective washing
Correct weight Effective load chemistry (e.g. correct
amountof detergent)
Calibrated scales
Dedicated containers (e.g. overhead bagsystem) Effective stock rotation
Continuous batch washer (CBW) Thermal disinfection at >71C (160F) for
3minutes
Washer extractor
Alarms to indicate low levels of chemicals
Chemical dosing
Rail system Effective standards to ensure equipment
andworkwear remain clean during transfer
Dedicated container or barrows
Tunnel dryer Dry clean
Effective equipment standards to ensure
equipment and workwear remain clean
duringthe drying process
Remove poor quality workwear Rewash
Repair
Replace
Return
In plastic Effective standards to ensure workwear
remains clean (i.e. cross-contamination
In bag
isprevented) until packed
In cage
On laundry vehicle Clean vehicle
Return workwear to designated area Agreed delivery schedule
5
2.3 HACCP/GMP ASSESSMENT
The laundry is advised to use an assessment such as HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control
Point), hazard and risk analysis or GMP (good manufacturing practice) along with the process flow
shown in Figure 1 to identify areas of risk in the laundry process. Where genuine risks that could
affect the safety or quality of the workwear are identified in the cleaning process, preventive
controls should be put in place and monitored. Records should be maintained.

Reassessments should be completed at regular intervals (e.g. annually) and whenever significant
changes are made to the process or workwear.

2.4 QUALITY STANDARDS

It is important to identify any parts of the process that could potentially result in a failure of the
standards of the end-product (i.e. the cleanliness of workwear sent to customers) and the
procedures or actions required to prevent these failures. Key points include:

Understanding the customer standards and products; for example, workwear heavily soiled
byitems such as chocolate, fish residues or frying oils may require a specific heavy soiling
washprocess. It may be necessary to complete validation activity (e.g. some trial washes)
wherea new customer requirement or type of soiling is encountered to ensure that the
requiredstandards are attained. (This may require additional consultation with the chemical/
soap supplier.)
Effective pocket checking on intake of soiled workwear to ensure that items such as pens,
sharps, gloves, hats, keys or ear plugs are removed to reduce the risk of foreign body
contamination (workwear used in open product areas in the food industry should not have
pockets above the waist, but items are sometimes stored in trouser pockets). Details of the
number and type of foreign bodies found should be recorded to monitor trends and, where
required, this information can be fed back to customers.
Requirements for the removal of micro-organisms through the washing process and thermal
disinfection (see section 2.7.1).
A quality-checking process to monitor any items that fail to meet customer requirements and
therefore require rewashing or repairing (e.g. holes or broken zips) or replacement if it is not
cost-effective to recover the product. (Relevant staff should have easy access to information
onthe required standards; e.g. the use of photographic display boards to demonstrate finished
quality standards.)
A rewash procedure or process for any items that come into contact with the floor.
Procedures for handling damaged workwear, which will include methods and standards for
repairs, where the laundry offers this service.
Drying and transport arrangements to ensure that workwear is delivered with no evidence
ofdampness and is free from adverse odours, excessive creasing and wrinkling.

2.5 MISUSED WORKWEAR

Workwear that has been misused by the customer and returned to the commercial laundries needs
to be removed, isolated and managed in accordance with the customer contract. This is important
because some types of soiling can increase the risk of foreign-body contamination (e.g. cotton
contamination and metal studs) both at the laundry and at customers sites. It can also be a source
of increased contract costs if additional washing, repair or replacement is required.

The main types of damage to workwear are as follows:

Ink staining From various sources. The staining cannot be removed by a washing process
(seeFigure 2).
Metal staining Normally seen on the front mid-section or lower sleeves. This type of staining
ona white or light-coloured garment cannot be removed (see Figure 3).
Graffiti This staining may be removed by prolonged washing; however, most customers want
workwear that has been misused in this way to be rejected and returned as it gives a poor
impression to its customers and staff (see Figure 4).

UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 6

 Mastic or silicone sealant Generally seen after contractors or engineers have completed
work wearing protective clothing designed for use in food preparation areas. This soiling cannot
be removed by a washing process (see Figure 5).
Deliberate damage Deliberate cutting, slashing or ripping of garments will in most cases
render the garment unacceptable and unfit for purpose (see Figure 6). Accidental damage may
also render garments unfit for purpose.

Figure 2 Examples of ink staining: from a printing machine (left); from a pen left in a pocket (right)

Figure 3 Examples of metal staining: front mid-section (left); lower sleeves (right)

Figure 4 Example of staining by graffiti

UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 7

Figure 5 Example of damage by mastic or silicone sealant

Figure 6 Example of deliberate damage

2.6 WASHING PROCESSES

The main purposes of washing in a commercial laundry are as follows:

To remove washable soiling and staining

To preserve the whiteness of white workwear and the brightness of coloured workwear
To preserve the life and original condition of the fabric
To deliver the workwear to the customer in a clean and acceptable condition.
Washing processes are therefore designed to achieve each of these aims in different phases
throughout the process. Although washing systems such as CBWs and washer extractors differ in
design, they all use a combination of mechanical action and chemistry. The normal food industry
process will consist of the following steps:

A low-temperature prewash to help loosen and remove stains that are settled by heat
A hot main wash to remove soiling and stains
A cool-down wash to aid reduction of creasing from thermal shock
Rinses to remove detergents and other chemicals from the garment fabric.
Table 2 sets out the typical process of a white polycotton wash and Table 3 provides an example of
a higher-temperature white hygiene wash.

UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 8

 9
UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES
Table 2 A typical food industry white-garment wash process
MACHINE GROUP 1 LAVAMAC FORMULA CURRENT DESIRED LOAD 120.00 KG
TYPE WEIGHT
OPERATION DOSAGE TIME (MIN) TEMP LEVEL FORMULA WHITE POLYCOTTON LOADS PER 10
STEP IN C (L/KG) MONTH
(F) WATER PRODUCT (AS AGREED WITH PRODUCT DOSAGE
TYPE CLEANING CHEMICAL SUPPLIER) (ML/KG) TOTAL (ML)
1 Prewash 1 1.00 10 (50) 30 Recovered Cleaning product 1 12.00 1,440.00
Detergent 8.00 960.00
Additional chemical inputs (if required) 7.00 840.00
2 Prewash 3.00 40 (104) 30 Recovered
3 Prewash 7.00 80 (176) 30 Recovered
Drain 1.00
4 Main wash 2 7.00 80 (176) 25 Recovered Cleaning product 1 12.00 1,440.00
Detergent 6.00 720.00
Additional chemical inputs (if required) 5.00 600.00
Drain 1.00
5 Bleach wash 3 9.00 50 (122) 35 Recovered Sodium hypochlorite 18.00 2,160.00
6 Rinse 1.00 50 Cold soft
Drain 1.00
7 Rinse 2.00 50 Cold soft
Intermediate 1.00
extract
8 Rinse 4 3.00 50 Cold soft Chemical input 3.00 360.00
Total 37.00
 10
UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES
Table 3 A typical food industry higher-temperature white hygiene wash process
MACHINE GROUP 50 KG FORMULA CURRENT DESIRED LOAD 120.00 KG
TYPE WEIGHT
MACHINE 1 LAVATEC LT50-12 FORMULA WHITE HYGIENE LOADS PER 10
MONTH
OPERATION TIME (MIN) TEMP LEVEL WATER PRODUCT (AS AGREED WITH PRODUCT DOSAGE
IN C (L/KG) TYPE CLEANING CHEMICAL SUPPLIER) (ML/KG) TOTAL (ML)
(F)
1 Prewash 3.00 35 (95) Recovered Cleaning product 1 5.00 250.00
Cleaning product 2 5.00 250.00
Cleaning product 3 2.00 100.00
2 Prewash 3.00 40 (104)
3 Main wash 3.00 70 (158)
4 Main wash 3.00 80 (176)
5 Main wash 3.00 80 (176) Recovered Cleaning product 1 10.00 500.00
Cleaning product 2 4.50 225.00
Cleaning product 3 3.00 150.00
6 Main wash 3.00 80 (176)
7 Main wash 3.00 70 (158) Cleaning product 2 1.00 50.00
8 Main wash 3.00 60 (140) Recovered
9 Rinse 3.00
10 Rinse 3.00 Sodium hypochlorite 20.00 1,000.00
11 Rinse 3.00 35 (95) Cold soft
12 Finishing 3.00 Cleaning product 4 5.00 250.00
Total 36.00
It is essential to use the correct chemical concentrations at each step in the process, as well as to
control the alkalinity, pH levels, water levels, timing and temperatures. All these areas are key to
achieving the required standards.

Good chemistry (i.e. the correct formulation of the cleaning chemicals) is required to obtain
effective cleaning. The formulation of sound washing programmes requires a partnership with a
key laundry chemical specialist.

An important factor in washing is the weighing of workwear as both underloading and overloading
have detrimental effects:

Underloading If the machine is seriously underloaded, the weight being washed is reduced
and this, combined with the natural machine rotation, will tend to allow the washed items to stick
to the insides of the washer instead of moving them around in the wash liquid.
Overloading This restricts the movement of items in the washer and prevents the mechanical
action from aiding effective cleaning.

For workwear used in the food industry, the washing temperatures will generally reach a minimum
of 72C (162F) for 3 minutes. This is in line with UK National Health Service (NHS) thermal
disinfection controls. However, many wash processes exceed both the time and temperature
requirements. This is because fabrics are best washed in a step-by-step process throughout the
temperature range. The range of temperatures helps to prevent fabric thermal shock and ensures
finished quality standards.

Modern-day CBWs and washer/extractors are calibrated with built-in temperature controls and
sensors that prevent the wash process moving to the next phase if a key temperature is not
achieved.

Other key factors include the nature of soiling (protein or mineral); the type and fabric of the
garment; and the colour, as a white garment should be washed differently from a coloured one.

2.7 TESTING
2.7.1 GARMENT MICROBIOLOGICAL CHALLENGE TESTING
Good practice is to ensure that the microbiological cleanliness of workwear is appropriate for the
food industry and any specific needs of the customer. Microbiological testing should therefore be
completed:

when the cleaning methodology is initially designed

when significant changes to the process or chemicals are planned.
It should also be reassessed periodically; for example, annually, or more frequently if required for a
specific test purpose or customer.

A complete challenge test would normally include the following:

Staphylococcus aureus
Escherichia coli (E. coli)
Enterobacteriaceae
Salmonella
Listeria
yeasts and moulds
total viable count (TVC).

UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 11

The following standard sampling and testing protocols should be used to avoid incorrect data
being retrieved:

A food industry garment that has been through the food industry workwear wash process (or
the proposed process) must be used for the test.
The designated personnel organising the testing should wash their hands before taking
samples.
Samples should be taken within the clean room area, placed in a clean plastic bag and sealed
within a second plastic bag to prevent possible contamination during transit.
Labelled samples should be transferred to the approved laboratory.
The results should be compared with the predefined acceptable limits for food safety.
2.7.2 GARMENT ALLERGEN CHALLENGE TESTING
Undeclared allergens in food products represent a food safety hazard and food manufacturers are
required to have processes that control potential sources of cross-contamination. It is important
that the laundry ensures that it does not cross-contaminate clean workwear with allergens that
could subsequently affect food products.

It is therefore recommended that laundries complete periodic testing of clean workwear (e.g.
annually or in accordance with agreed customer requirements) to confirm the absence of allergens
in washed or finished workwear.

Tests should be conducted for allergens such as:

egg
peanut
nuts (e.g. hazelnut, almond and walnut)
shellfish
milk (casein and beta-lactoglobulin)
gluten
sesame
soya.
The list above is only a guide as specific customers or geographic areas may have different
allergen-testing requirements. The testing process is similar to that described in section 2.7.1:

Designated personnel should collect sample garments after they have been washed, dried and
folded in the clean room environment.
Management must ensure that their hands are clean so that a true sample is taken, and that
samples are double-bagged and fully identified.
The samples should be sent to the approved laboratory for testing to an agreed schedule.
The laboratory should report results as parts per million (ppm).
The results should be compared with the predefined acceptable limits.
2.8 PREVENTING CROSS-CONTAMINATION
Where possible, food industry workwear should be segregated from non-food workwear. Physical
segregation should also exist between soiled and clean food industry workwear; this could be
achieved, for example, by the use of plastic wrapping, bags and cages. Note that laundry bags
should be washed following the workwear process before they are reused.

UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 12

2.9 NEEDLE, PIN AND SHARPS CONTROL
Where the laundry provides repair services it is important that controls are in place to prevent
contamination of workwear.

It is good practice for the repairer working on garments to account for all needles and/or pins
before starting food industry workwear repairs and enter the quantities in a register. When repairs
are completed and at the end of the shift/day, the repairer should recount all needles and/or pins
and enter quantities on the register. In the event of a discrepancy, the repairer must inform the
relevant member of the management team.

Management should then instigate an incident and corrective action plan, which may include:

inspecting workwear that has been repaired during the shift/day to find the missing item(s)
rewashing workwear
completing an incident investigation and corrective action report.
Once repairs are completed, any loose fabric or threads should be removed before returning the
garment through the laundry process.

Any damaged needles and/or pins should be disposed of in a dedicated container and should be
recorded on the register.

2.10 WORKWEAR DESIGN AND BARCODE LABELLING

Where the laundry manages workwear design, fabrication and supply for customers, it needs to
consider all the aspects that could potentially affect food safety, including the following:

Workwear must be fit for purpose for the customer; i.e. it must be appropriate for the work that is
carried out, and this should be set out as part of the standard purchasing agreements or
specification.
Workwear must cover the wearers external clothing.
Sewn-on buttons are not permitted and stud fixings are normally used instead.
External pockets are not permitted above the waist.
Fabrics must be able to withstand commercial laundry processing temperatures as well as
being fit for purpose.
Barcodes can be used to ensure effective traceability of items throughout the process. A unique
barcode can be linked to both the laundry and the food manufacturers IT systems. This system
can be used to monitor the following:
date the garment was ordered
supplier and order reference numbers
date the garment was first used
date the garment was scanned into the laundry soiled and scanned out again clean
wearers name and area; garment size and colour.

Detailed reports can be generated from the data scanned that will provide number of washes,
inspections carried out, the life of the garment or any special conditions such as repairs.

UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 13

SECTION 3
ADDITIONAL USEFUL
INFORMATION
Many of the controls used in laundries are very similar to those used in the food manufacturing
sites. Examples include the following:

Site hygiene Production areas must be kept in a suitably clean and hygienic condition.
Theexact standards should be based on risk assessment and will, in part, be dependent
oncustomer requirements (e.g. cleaning workwear for high-risk food production). Good
practice isto include hygiene standards within a programme of internal audits.
Specification and contracts The BRC requires certificated sites to have contracts or
formal agreements in place with all its suppliers of services. These must clearly define service
expectations and ensure that potential food safety risks have been addressed.
Staff or visitor illness Managers, staff and visitors should be made aware of the symptoms
thatwould make it unacceptable for them to enter the laundry areas handling workwear used
infood production.
Supplier approval Suppliers (e.g. manufacturers of equipment or cleaning chemicals)
should beformally approved. Approval may be established via a questionnaire or an actual audit
carried out on the supply chain. Regular supplier reviews are recommended to monitor ongoing
performance of product, delivery and service.
Buildings and grounds The building and surrounding areas should be maintained in a
suitable condition.
Equipment Equipment should be constructed, maintained and, where appropriate,
calibrated to ensure efficient cleaning and correct operation.
Staff training Staff at all levels must have a detailed job description and be trained to the
appropriate level to meet the required standards within that role. Training records and/or skills
matrices should be maintained.
Jewellery Staff working in the food industry workwear processes and clean room
environment should not wear jewellery, other than a plain wedding band. Where jewellery
cannot be removed (e.g. for religious reasons) then it must be fully covered (e.g. by protective
clothing) to ensure that it cannot break and contaminate the laundry as this could subsequently
become a foreign body in a customers site.
Hand hygiene The site should have staff hand-washing procedures for staff handing clean
workwear (e.g. in the clean room) to ensure that hands do not inadvertently become a source of
cross-contamination.
Glass and brittle plastics Use of glass and hard plastics is to be minimised within the
production process, where reasonably practical, to safeguard the process, employees,
products and customers from broken particle contamination. If a breakage occurs, designated
staff should suspend production and inform the factory management. Management should
carry out an assessment of the impact on production and undertake appropriate remedial
actions (e.g. creating an isolated area around the breakage, assessing the potential for clean
workwear to have been contaminated and deciding the cleaning regimes that are required for
the environment and any workwear in the vicinity).
Protective clothing Protective clothing must be provided for employees, contractors and
visitors entering the clean room.

UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 14

 Eating, drinking and smoking Consumption of food and drink must take place only in
designated areas. No food or drink is permitted in the clean room, workwear areas, stores or
outbuildings. Smoking must be permitted only in accordance with legislative requirements
andwill not be permitted in areas where workwear is handled or stored.
Designated changing areas and entry into production areas There should be
defined areas where staff change into workwear prior to entry into production areas.
Pest control Areas where workwear is handled should be designed to prevent the ingress
ofpests as these could damage or contaminate workwear (e.g. rodents using cotton fibres
asnesting material; the presence of dead insects or droppings).
Internal audits An internal audit schedule should .be defined to cover all aspects of the
process and the areas of the site responsible for these processes. The audits should be
documented with non-conformances, suitable timescales for corrective actions and
confirmation of the completion of actions.
Document control The laundry must operate an effective document control procedure
toensure that only the correct versions of documents and records are available and in use.

UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 15

APPENDIX 1
AUDIT CHECKLIST

LAUNDRY/LOCATION
AUDIT DATE
AUDITOR

GUIDELINE CHECKLIST/AUDIT POINT COMPLIES? AUDITORS COMMENTS

REFERENCE (Y/N)
2.3 HACCP/GMP assessment
Have potential risks from the laundry process
been assessed? Are effective procedures in
place to manage the identified risks?
Are washing records and traceability maintained?
2.4/2.5 Quality standards
Are customer specifications in place and
understood by relevant staff?
Is prewash garment inspecting completed (e.g.
for foreign body detection and removal)? Are
results recorded and/or trended and, where
appropriate, discussed with customers?
Is post-wash garment inspection completed (i.e.
to confirm the standard of cleaning)? Are reject/
rewash criteria applied?
Is garment integrity checked (e.g. tears or
loosename labels)? Are damaged garments
segregated for repair or customer review?
2.6 Washing processes
Are wash programmes (e.g. time, temperature)
documented and in use?
Is soap/detergent/disinfectant use controlled to
ensure effective cleaning (e.g. using supplier
specifications)?
Is product loading controlled (i.e. number of
garments per wash)?
2.7 Testing
Are microbiological checks completed to a
defined frequency, results reviewed and, if
necessary, acted upon?
Are allergen tests completed to a defined
frequency (e.g. annually), results reviewed
and,ifnecessary, acted upon?

UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 16

GUIDELINE CHECKLIST/AUDIT POINT COMPLIES? AUDITORS COMMENTS
REFERENCE (Y/N)
2.8 Preventing cross-contamination
Is an effective protective clothing policy
inoperation?
Is segregation and process flow effective
toprevent cross-contamination?
Is the drying process effective?
Is the process for storing and transporting clean
garments effective at preventing contamination
of the clean garments?
2.9 Needle, pin and sharps control (for
laundries completing garment repairs)
Are sharps (e.g. pins) controlled and recorded?
Is there an action plan in the event of missing
sharp items?
Is a record of garment repairs maintained?
2.10 Workwear design and labelling
Are there clear specifications that include all the
customers requirements (e.g. design features
required by the BRC Standards)?
Can individual garments be traced effectively, so
that they can be returned to the appropriate
customer, as well providing data on garment life?
3 Additional information
Are procedures in place for personnel, site
standards and quality management systems?
Do they operate effectively?
These procedures will include:

Supplier approval
Internal audits
Document control
Building and facilities
Equipment and maintenance
Housekeeping and hygiene
Pest control
Control of glass and brittle plastics
Personnel hygiene: jewellery; eating,
drinkingand smoking
Protective clothing
Training
Personnel flow and access.

UNDERSTANDING CLEANING OF WORKWEAR BY EXTERNAL CONTRACT LAUNDRIES 17

BRC Global Standards
21 Dartmouth Street
London SW1H 9BP
Tel: +44 (0)20 7854 8900
Fax: +44 (0)20 7854 8901
www.brcglobalstandards.com

ISBN 978-1-78490-028-1

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