BRCGS for Food Safety Issue 9 Changes – Part 8: Production Risk Zones – High-risk, High-care and Ambient High-care (R8)

8.1 Layout, product flow and segregation in high-risk, high-care and ambient high-care zones*

8.2 Building fabric in high-risk and high-care zones*

8.3 Equipment and maintenance in high-risk and high-care zones*

8.4 Staff facilities for high-risk and high-care zones

8.5 Housekeeping and hygiene in high-risk and high-care zones*

8.6 Waste and waste disposal in high-risk, high-care zones

8.7 Protective clothing in high-risk and high-care zones

Clause 8.1.1 – Site map must include the location of pathogen control steps

Requirement 8 is about production risk zones which are high-risk, high-care and ambient high-care.

Clause 8.1.1 has been completely revised and now requires that site maps that have been drawn up to satisfy Clause 4.3.2 must include the location of pathogen control steps.

Clause 8.1.3 – Procedures for the changeover from low-risk to high-care

Clause 8.1.3 has a new addition which now requires that procedures for the changeover from low-risk to high-care must be included.

Clause 8.2.3 – Procedures for removable walls as part of the design of the high-risk or high-care area

Clause 8.2.3 is new and requires additional procedures for removable walls if they are part of the design for the high-risk or high-care area.

Essentially the standard requires that the removable walls are tight fitting, movement of the walls is controlled, is done by authorised and trained staff, and the cleaning and reconditioning procedures are put in place.

Clause 8.3 – Equipment and maintenance in high-risk and high-care zones

Clause 8.3 has been renamed to equipment and maintenance in higher-risk and high-care zones.

Clause 8.3.3 – Battery charging equipment

There is an addition to Clause 8.3.3 which now includes battery charging equipment as part of the requirements.

Clause 8.5.1 – The different microbiological risks associated with each production risk zone

Clause 8.5.1 has been revised to align with Clause 4.11.2, and as a requirement, the standard requires that different microbiological risks associated with each production zone must be considered.

Clause 8.5.3 – Hygienic design, cleaning and storage of equipment

Under Clause 8.5.3 the equipment requirements have been updated to include that equipment must be hygienically designed, cleaned and stored in a hygienic manner to prevent contamination.

For example: storing equipment in designated locations and off the floor (when not in use).

Clause 8.5.4 – Requirements for CIP equipment

Clause 8.5.4 is a new clause dealing with the requirements of cleaning-in-place equipment, where the site uses CIP equipment.

Two options apply:

The CIP equipment shall be for a specific area only.

OR

The CIP system should be designed and controlled so that it does not pose a risk of contamination to the high-risk / high-care area.