Food Safety
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • White Papers
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
    • Contamination Control
    • Food Types
    • Management
    • Process Control
    • Regulatory
    • Sanitation
    • Supply Chain
    • Testing and Analysis
  • PODCAST
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Food Safety Five Newsreel
    • eBooks
    • FSM Distinguished Service Award
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Videos
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MORE
    • ENEWSLETTER >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • Sponsor Insights
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!

Benefits of contract sanitation

One way to increase your plant's efficiency is to optimize the sanitation process.

By Timm Miller
PSSI Timm Miller
March 27, 2018

Everyone in the food processing industry could use more time and reduce stress. Even a couple of spare minutes saved per day can increase productivity and put you ahead of the competition.

One way to increase your plant’s efficiency is to optimize the sanitation process. When it comes to sanitation, more and more food companies are choosing to shift this responsibility to contract sanitation providers. Should you consider contracting out sanitation? Here are six factors that might trigger a move to outsourcing:

  1. Focus on productivity

Problem: Putting out a good product is the No. 1 priority. Companies need to spend time focusing on output and making processes more efficient. Unfortunately, that doesn’t leave much time or energy to spend on sanitation.

Solution: Contract sanitation can alleviate much of the time spent managing sanitation processes and tasks. When you outsource sanitation with a trusted partner, you can rely on a team that specializes in sanitation. A dedicated sanitation team ensures that steps won’t be skipped because the contract manager is accountable for following a proper sanitation program. A good contract sanitation company knows food safety regulations, addresses microbial hotspots, advises on hygienic design and understands what documentation auditors are looking for. The best sanitation companies can be business advisers as well as cleaning experts.

  1. Staffing for sanitation is a nightmare

Problem: Hiring and retaining sanitation workers for food and beverage plants has never been a walk in the park, and training good employees can be a major drain on resources. When hiring for open positions, the tendency is to staff production jobs first. On top of that, sanitation work isn’t glamorous, so hiring and retaining good workers is a constant battle.

Solution: Utilizing a contract company dedicated to properly staffing and training sanitation individuals greatly reduces human resources challenges. In addition to staffing, contract cleaners provide their employees with specialized training in sanitation, which ensures it will be done right. A contract company can often transfer trained sanitors from plant to plant based on demand, which guarantees a more reliable and higher level of sanitation service.

  1. Audit compliance records are a headache

Problem: Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations require more proactive sanitation programs and documentation. With governmental and third-party audit frequencies increasing, the time has never been more critical to ensure sanitation records are always up-to-date and accurate.

Solution: Contract sanitation companies work with auditors across the industry and know the standards that inspection agencies are looking for. It’s still up to the processor to produce a safe product, but contractors that are in tune with industry regulations can help maintain the sanitation processes and records that make audits go more smoothly.

  1. You’re losing money on downtime

Problem: Inefficient sanitation can lead to delays in production. Even a minute of lost production can cost processors hundreds to thousands of dollars. In plants with frequent product changeovers, the organization and elimination of downtime is even harder to achieve. On top of physically switching over the plant during each product change, there is also the stress of hoping a full staff of sanitors is present to ensure sanitation can take place in a timely manner.

Solution: Having a separate team that specializes in sanitation can potentially tighten the sanitation window and eliminate downtime issues. Contract sanitation companies allow production to stay on a more timely schedule while sanitation is taking place in another zone or during another shift. In addition to downtime savings, using contract sanitation means that you don’t have to use your own production employees to perform a job they aren’t specifically trained in. Many contract companies even guarantee against downtime or pay for the associated labor costs if production is delayed by sanitation.

  1. Employee safety is an issue

Problem: Worker safety is a huge deal in this industry, and sanitation is one of the most dangerous jobs in the facility. However, providing proper safety training for sanitation employees is often an after-thought, as it usually happens on an off-shift and requires extra time and investment to train employees on safety procedures and best practices.

Solution: By contracting for sanitation, responsibility for training falls to the sanitation site manager who trains each new hire to ensure a safe working environment. Contract sanitation companies take a special interest in sanitation worker safety and have technical staff dedicated to promoting safety and training employees in the workplace.

  1. Stay on budget

Problem: When sanitation is a variable cost month-to-month, it’s tempting to cut corners when budgets get tight. Sanitation can be expensive in terms of chemical selection, resource management and employee retention.

Solution: When you make the switch to contract sanitation, the cleaning process becomes a fixed cost. All employee-related costs, worker liability and chemical and equipment costs are the same each month. This allows for more efficient budget planning because variable costs are reduced. Additionally, contract companies often cover repair costs associated with equipment that may be damaged in the sanitation process.

How to get started

If you are struggling with any of these issues, contract sanitation may be the right solution for your facilities. Finding the right sanitation partner can put the days of, “Maybe next year,” behind you because you’ll have the time and resources to focus on productivity initiatives you want to pursue.

This article was originally posted on www.refrigeratedfrozenfood.com.
KEYWORDS: food safety solutions sanitary applications sanitary equipment sanitary equipment design sanitary solutions sanitation

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Timm Miller is director of corporate accounts for PSSI (Packers Sanitation Services, Inc.), Kieler, Wis.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • people holding baby chicks

    Serovar Differences Matter: Utility of Deep Serotyping in Broiler Production and Processing

    This article discusses the significance of Salmonella in...
    Microbiological
    By: Nikki Shariat Ph.D.
  • woman washing hands

    Building a Culture of Hygiene in the Food Processing Plant

    Everyone entering a food processing facility needs to...
    Facilities
    By: Richard F. Stier, M.S.
  • graphical representation of earth over dirt

    Climate Change and Emerging Risks to Food Safety: Building Climate Resilience

    This article examines the multifaceted threats to food...
    Best Practices
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to eNewsletter
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Website Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Food Safety Magazine audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Food Safety Magazine or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Deli Salads
    Sponsored byCorbion

    How Food Safety is Becoming the Ultimate Differentiator in Refrigerated and Prepared Foods

Popular Stories

Top view of several sandwiches

FDA Provides Update on Listeria Outbreak Related to Products of Fresh & Ready Foods LLC

Image of container spilling red powder

FDA Approves Three Food Colors from Natural Sources

Image of microscopic pathogens

FDA Releases CORE 2023 Annual Report regarding Investigations of Foodborne Outbreaks

Events

June 12, 2025

Additive Bans Ahead: Your Guide to Avoiding Risk and Maintaining Agility

Live: June 12, 2025 at 12:00 pm EDT: From this webinar, attendees will learn how ingredient bans will impact product development, labeling, and sourcing.

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products
Environmental Monitoring Excellence eBook

Related Articles

  • Josh Kuepers, PSSI

    The benefits of bundling sanitation labor and chemicals

    See More
  • Food grade lubricant cabinet

    Benefits of all food-grade lubricant cabinet

    See More
  • Doug White, Vice President, PSSI

    Food processing plant sanitation: Counting on shift zero preparation

    See More
×

Never miss the latest news and trends driving the food safety industry

eNewsletter | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing