Abstract

In the agrifood sector, the cleanliness of equipment is critically important for the public’s safety. Regulations governing the inspection and cleaning of equipment are extremely strict, but they expose workers to risks related to the machines, as the workers must operate the equipment to clean and disinfect them. In most cases, guards are removed to provide better access to some moving parts, in order to ensure they can be properly cleaned, disinfected and inspected.

The objective of this research is to conduct an exploratory study of risks and ways to reduce them in eight plants in Québec and in France. This will enable potential solutions to be identified, to make the cleaning, disinfection and inspection phases safer, while respecting food safety requirements in the agrifood industry.