Back

Employee Health and Food Safety Checklist for Human and Animal Food Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This checklist describes existing recommendations as well as mandatory safety and health standards. This procedure is to help and to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace.
MaintainX
09/16/2022

Employee Health and Food Safety Checklist for Human and Animal Food Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This checklist describes existing recommendations as well as mandatory safety and health standards. This procedure is to help and to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace.

    Employee Health

    Employers should consider the following questions when assessing operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    General:

    Do these practices cover:

    Facilities:

    For all personnel:

    Does your plan consider whether you are able to offer vulnerable workers (older adults and people of any age who have certain underlying medical conditions [19]) roles that minimize their contact with others?

    Do your procedures include situations in which you provide shared transportation to workers, e.g., between establishments or to the fields, when appropriate [5]? As recommended by CDC and OSHA [5, 6, 9], if shared transportation such as carpooling or using company shuttle vehicles is a necessity for workers:

    For persons who are symptomatic or develop symptoms at work:

    Do you have procedures to clean and disinfect surfaces using disinfectants from EPA’s list of disinfectants for use against SARS-CoV-2 [16] in all areas used by a sick person, as recommended by CDC?

    Employee Exposure Investigation & Testing

    Work Environment Configuration

    The configuration of the work environment can help mitigate the risk of spread of COVID-19 among workers.

    Can you configure the work environment in your operation so that the workers are spaced at least 6 feet apart, wherever feasible? For example, as described in CDC and OSHA guidance,

    Have you removed personal cooling fans from the workplace to reduce the potential spread of any respiratory droplets, as recommended by CDC and OSHA?

    Have you adopted practices to encourage social distancing outside of production areas (e.g., entry at the operation, break rooms, restrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, and other areas where people may congregate or form lines)? For example, as recommended by CDC and OSHA:

    Work Space Configuration Examples

    How to align workstations, if feasible

    • Screenshot2021-06-03at9.21.19AM.png
    • Screenshot2021-06-03at9.22.04AM.png
    • Screenshot2021-06-03at9.24.26AM.png
    • Screenshot2021-06-03at9.24.54AM.png

    Similarly, examples of ways to create social distancing during operations in fields (e.g., harvesting, weeding) are shown below

    • Screenshot2021-06-03at9.25.26AM.png
    • Screenshot2021-06-03at9.25.54AM.png

    Food Safety or HACCP Plan

    Personnel

    Suppliers and Incoming Ingredients

    Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) Requirements

    Plants and Grounds

    Pest Control

    Sanitary Facilities

    Sanitation

    For example:

    Equipment and Utensils

    Warehousing and Distribution

    Disclaimer

    This checklist is not a standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal obligations. It describes existing recommendations as well as mandatory safety and health standards. The checklist is intended to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to comply with safety and health standards and regulations promulgated by OSHA or by a state with an OSHA-approved state plan.

Source: MaintainX (Community Member)

Please note that any procedure, checklist, or other document available in the MaintainX Procedure Hub is provided for general education and information only and does not constitute legal, medical, or financial advice. MaintainX makes the materials available AS IS and AS PROVIDED, without warranties of any kind. By downloading or using any such materials, you assume the risk that they may not be appropriate for your specific situation and agree that you are solely responsible for any such use, including compliance with applicable law and with meeting any conditions of product warranties.