Employee Hand Book

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date

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION HIRING AND SCHEDULING SAFETY RULES UNIFORM STANDARDS GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES Overview Washing of Hands Work Area Habits / Personal Hygiene Totes / Buckets / Utensils Spices and Spice Room Paperwork Preparing Food TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT FOOTWEAR POLICY 12 13 3 4 5 6 8

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INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Our company. You have joined a dynamic, growing company committed to producing the highest quality food product for the food service industry. We are committed to working together with our clients to find new ways to create great customized food, using unique packing solutions. We offer a team of food experts who are dedicated to quality and service to the client with a goal to build relationships over the long term. We pack proprietary items _____________________and many other customers. We are flexible in our production so we can accommodate specialty items and small batch production. All products we manufacture at Our company are made to our customers specifications and recipes. All employees must become familiar with the process for each product that we pack or manufacture. Our continued growth and success relies very much on our employees. Our company takes pride in the abilities and the commitment to quality of our staff. All employees must be committed to quality for Our company to continue to be successful and grow. This handbook outlines the policies and procedures, which allow us to operate efficiently to and successfully serve our clients.

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HIRING AND SCHEDULING

All employees must have a Food safe level one certificate. Our company will provide training for employees who do not have it. All new employees are hired on permanent part-part basis guaranteed a minimum 20 hours per workweek unless otherwise stated by Production Manager. On-the-job training will be provided for all tasks you are to perform at Our company From the date that you start work at Our company you are on a three-month probation period, during this period you will be evaluated by your Manager and your progress reviewed. This will give both you and your Manager an opportunity to express concerns make suggestions or answer any questions that you may have. Production is scheduled on a weekly basis, depending on what orders are in the system. The weekly schedules are made on Thursday the week before. If you require a certain day off for an appointment or personal reasons this must be given in writing on the appropriate form by no later than 12:00 P.M. Wednesday. Where possible we will try to accommodate your request. The Production Manager supervises the production floor and the sanitation crew. Any questions that you have should be directed to your manager.

PAYDAYS AND BENEFITS

Policy on Sick Days and Tardiness Time off due to sickness is considered excessive when an employee is sick more than 6 times in 12-month period. (When absent for 2 or more consecutive days this is considered one time). The 7th time in any 12-month period will result in a written disciplinary notice. The 8th time in any 12-month period will result in a written disciplinary notice. The 9th time in any 12-month period will result in a written disciplinary notice and a one week unpaid suspension. The 10th time will result in immediate termination. Excessive tardiness-3 separate tardies in any 30-day period is considered excessive and is treated as a sick day. You must be punched in by your start time, or return from break time, ready to work or you will be marked down as late. Time clock abuse: You must punch your time card immediately when you start, take a break or at the end of your shift. You must not stand around waiting to watch the time change, nor may you have another employee punch your time card.

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SAFETY RULES
All safety rules listed below must be practiced at all times to avoid the chance of getting a workrelated injury. Employees must wear steel toe, non-skid sole and heel workplace footwear while working in the plant. Footwear must be replaced when tread has worn and smooth. (Please see Our company Safety Footwear Policy.) Care must be taken when using a knife. When wearing gloves, check gloves often for cuts; change gloves immediately if cut is found. Report any injuries to first aid attendant immediately. Safety goggles and gloves must be worn when dealing with chemicals Only authorized personnel are permitted to use the forklift. Only authorized personnel are permitted to dismantle and set up the processing equipment. When operating and/or cleaning a machine/equipment, follow all necessary precautions specified in the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Report all unsafe conditions to your manager immediately. Report all accidents and/or incidents causing injuries to First Aid Attendant. Employees having infected wounds or open lesions on exposed parts of the body shall not be permitted to work unless adequate protection is applied.

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UNIFORM STANDARDS
Smocks / Gloves All employees must wear clean, properly secured smocks, hairnets and gloves at all times in the plant. They shall be changed daily. REASON: Dirty smocks may carry bacteria or other microorganisms. These can easily be transferred to the food product by contacting food preparation surfaces, equipment or packaging materials. Smocks shall be sufficient to cover all personal clothing, as far as possible. Shirts may not be ripped or frayed, all shirt sleeves must not hang lower than the sleeve of the smock. When wearing a shirt that has a hood the hood must be contained under the smock. REASON: Personal clothing has been worn outside the production area and has been exposed to unknown conditions. More than likely, it will carry microorganisms that can be transferred to the clean smocks and indirectly transferred to the food product in the plant. At NO time smocks shall be worn outside the food processing area. Smocks, hairnets and gloves must be removed before using washroom facilities and before using the lunchroom. REASON: The food processing area is considered a clean room. All precautions must be taken to keep microorganisms and pests out of this area.. Top pockets on the smock are to be kept empty. REASON: Articles put in the top pockets, such as pens, can easily fall out and contaminate the food product. Gloves must be maintained in sound, clean and sanitary manner. Gloves shall be washed and disinfected frequently throughout the day. Wearing of gloves does not exempt the employee from washing their hands. REASON: Clean hands and gloves will minimize the risk of transferring microorganisms onto the food products.

HairNets / Beard Nets / Particle Masks Hair nets must be worn at all times in the production area. All hair must be covered to prevent any possible contamination of food product. Males are to be clean-shaven. Employees with any facial hair (beards or mustaches) must wear beard nets. Employees must wear particle masks or beard nets to cover the whole nose and mouth while working with cooked products.
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Footwear All employees must wear work place shoes with non-skid soles and steel toe. Protective footwear must be easily cleaned and maintained in a clean condition, consistent with the nature of the work in which the employee is engaged. Steel toed shoes or boots are mandatory, as you will be working around/with a fork lift and pallet jacks. Please see attached footwear policy. Work shoes must not be worn outside the plant. REASON: Footwear worn outside the plant can pick up microorganisms or dirt and transfer to the production area.

Jewelry NO jewelry, earrings, bracelets, rings or watches, except for medical alert necklace and/or bracelet, is allowed to be worn in the food handling area/production area. Medical alert necklace and/or bracelet must be covered completely. Plain wedding band is allowed but has to be protected by the gloves. Any other religious bracelets that cannot be removed have to be protected by taping and covered by protective work gear. Personal effects and coats etc., are to be kept in the lockers provided. REASON: Jewelry can easily fall into food products. It is very hard to clean and may carry microorganisms on the surface or in the crevices. Jewelry can contaminate food products as well as a safety hazard to the customer.

Hats / Make-up / Perfume Hats are not permitted. Makeup is to be worn in moderation. Perfume is not to be worn on your wrists.

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GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES Overview

The principles of food protection begin with the individual worker. The human element is the single most important factor in the control of food-borne illness and food spoilage. Good personal hygiene, work habits and physical health of food production personnel are critical. Personal hygiene is important to the food production employee. Good personal hygiene prevents spreading of microorganisms responsible for food spoilage. Because we manufacture food products at Our company, it is extremely important that everyone is fully aware of the requirements and expectations regarding Good Manufacturing Practices and hygiene.

Washing of Hands
Employees working in the food handling area must wash and sanitize their hands / gloves frequently and thoroughly. Water that is as warm / hot as can be tolerated should be used in washing hands and gloves. Employees that are handling the food products must wash their hands before entering the food processing area; then gloves must be put on and washed and sanitized also. Hands / gloves must always be washed: Before commencing work. Immediately after using the washroom. After handling contaminated item (e.g. dirty utensil, skid, garbage, etc). After eating or drinking. After smoking. After touching nose, mouth, skin or hair. After sneezing, coughing or blowing the nose. REASON: Food will be contaminated by unclean hands / gloves more frequently than by any other means. Bacteria are found everywhere. Hands / gloves are continually coming into contact with food.

Work Area Habits / Personal & Plant Hygiene

Insubordinate conduct or refusal to follow managements instructions will not be tolerated. (Please see p.12 of this handbook, Termination of Employment.) No employee shall smoke, chew tobacco, chew gum, candy or spit in the food processing areas. These could result in contamination of food products. Violations of these will be dealt with accordingly. No product shall be taken from the production area to be eaten by an employee. Taking product from the production area to be eaten in the lunchroom is not permitted. No employee shall return product that has come in contact with contaminated surfaces (e.g. floor). Depending on the amount of such products, these should be weighed and recorded before being discarded. At no time during production shall any containers with or without food materials or products be placed directly on the floor. These should always be at least six inches above the floor and.
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Hands / Gloves that have been in contact with contaminated surfaces (garbage, inedible food totes, floor, etc.) must be thoroughly cleaned by following proper hand washing procedure. (Rub soap on and around hands for 30 seconds, thoroughly rinse with hot water, dry with paper towel and rub hand sanitizer on and around hands. Production line workers handling raw foods shall not wear the same smock and gloves in handling cooked foods. No person shall walk on pallets. Pallet must not lean against wall or skid of food product or packaging material. No person shall stand or sit on a pallet or on the products. After using the washroom facilities, all employees must wash their hands properly before returning to the work area. Smocks, hair nets, gloves, and particle masks/beard nets are not to be worn into washrooms, locker rooms, and lunch rooms or outside the building. No employee, while known to be infected with a disease likely to be transmitting through food or while afflicted with infected wounds, skin infections and sores or with diarrhea, is permitted to work in any food handling area in capacity in which there is any likelihood of that person directly or indirectly contaminating the food with pathogenic organisms. Any employee who has an open cut or wound will not be permitted to handle food or food contact surfaces until the injury is completely protected by water proof covering which is firmly secured. All employees having direct contact with food or food contact surfaces, will clean and sanitize their hands before commencing work. Fingernails must be trimmed short and you are not permitted to wear nail polish at anytime. Jewelry must be removed prior to working in a food handling area as prescribed under Uniform Standards. Do not cough or sneeze around food or a food preparation area. Use only disposable tissue to control coughs and sneezes and wash your hands with hot water and antibacterial soap before commencing work. Keep your hands away from your mouth, nose, ears and hair. Lunchroom must be kept clean and tidy at all times. All employees are expected to be considerate of others and clean up after themselves. All garbage should be placed immediately in garbage containers, not thrown on the floor. Our company promotes a CLEAN-AS-YOU-GO policy, meaning that workspace should always be kept neat and sanitary while working. All supplies must be returned to their original places when you are done using them!
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All employees are responsible for reporting to Quality Assurance on any sightings of pests or rodents in the plant.

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Totes / Buckets / Utensils Totes and buckets are to be washed and sanitized thoroughly before usage. Food products stored in totes and buckets must be fully covered at all times. All utensils are to be washed and sanitized before use, and are to be kept in clean and sanitized containers. All utensils (e.g. knife, scoop etc.) must be stored in a sanitary condition when not in use.

Spices and Spice Room

Spices are to be weighed in the Spice Room, not in the processing area. Use designated scoops for handling each allergen (e.g. milk powder, etc). Allergenic ingredients are not to be stored on top of non-allergenic ingredients or non-allergens. Full bag of allergenic ingredients must be stored on a separate skid in the warehouse. Open bag of spice must be transferred to plastic container or taped closed. This includes ingredients stored in the dry storage area or in Spice Room.

Paperwork
All paperwork must be completed, signed and handed in. Paperwork is to be kept as clean as possible.

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Preparing Food Upon entering the production area, hands must be washed immediately, before commencing any work. Hands should be washed frequently throughout the day to avoid cross contamination (ex. After handling garbage, between handling different products, etc.) Handle food as little as possible (use scoops, tongs, spoons, cups, etc.) Do not combine old food and new food items. Use only clean and sanitized dishes. Keep your work area clean. Wipe down with a sanitizing solution when finished a food prep item. Refrigerated items are to be returned to the cooler as soon as you are done using them. All finished products must also be refrigerated as soon as production is complete. Cover, date and refrigerate food items immediately and rotate! Rotation of stock is very important; our policy is to rotate stock when we receive it, from time to time stock does get moved around. As a production worker part of your responsibility is to ensue that you are using the oldest product first. Follow the principle of FIFO: First In First Out! Do not place containers on the floor. If you see or smell something that you are not sure of take that product or situation to Production Manager or Quality Assurance Manager immediately.

Our customers demand consistent high quality products from us in every batch we make. As a production worker, you will be the first person to see any problems with ingredients, packaging, or other quality concerns. It is your responsibility to bring any concerns to the attention of the Production Manager or the Quality Assurance Manager. If you are unsure as to a procedure or recipe ask you supervisor immediately for clarification.

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TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT
If you plan to end your employment, please give at least two weeks notice so that a replacement can be hired and trained. Your employment can be terminated immediately for any of the following reasons: Sexual harassment Working while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Possession of alcohol or illegal drugs on the premises. Acts of violence, theft or dishonesty towards your supervisor, coworkers or customers. Deliberate waste of food or willful destruction of equipment or supplies. Tampering with any food or packaging. Insubordination Any disrespect towards customers, coworkers, and supervisors. Vulgar or abusive language. Disregard of company policies and procedures. Falsification of time cards or other records.

This list is intended to provide examples of termination offenses and does not limit the companys right to terminate an employee for cause.

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Our company Ltd Food Production Plant & Warehouse Safety Footwear Allowance Policy
Purpose: To ensure all employees working in a foot hazard area have the appropriate C.S.A. approved safety footwear protection supporting the appropriate Workers Compensation Regulations in British Columbia. Applicable To: This policy is applicable to all full-time or part-time employees who perform work-related activities in either our Food Production Plant or Warehouse distribution facilities. Program Standards: Existing Full Time or Part Time Employees: All employees will be required to wear C.S.A. (Standard Z195) safety approved footwear at all times when working in a company facility. Failure to wear such footwear will result in the employee being sent home without pay. No employee is permitted to be exempt from this requirement. All C.S.A. safety approved footwear must have a C.S.A. Grade 1 steel toe that withstands 93 pounds dropping from a height of 1 foot. Employees who work in the Kettle area of our Food Production facility or those who perform Sanitation duties will be provided with company issued Steel Toed Rubber Boots. These Boots remain the property of Our companyFood Source and must be returned to the company upon your employment termination. Those employees who currently do not have safety approved footwear will be required to purchase this footwear on or before August 1, 2004. If you currently have safety approved footwear that you wish to be covered by this policy for reimbursement. Your supervisor for approval must inspect the footwear and if the foot wear meets the current standards you will be eligible for a one-time reimbursement to a maximum of $45.00. Program Standards; New Employees New full time and part-time employees will be required to have safety-approved footwear at the commencement of their first shift as outlined above.

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I have read and understand everything in the Our company employee handbook. I understand that I can see my Manager at anytime to explain to me the policies, procedures and terms of Employment at Our company. I also understand that for the first three months of my employment that I am on probation.

Name:

__________________________

Signature: __________________________

Date:

____________________________

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