5.1.5 Warehouse Cleaning Schedule and Procedures

Our warehouse operation produces trash and waste materials from a range of activities. These include office, washroom, and break room waste, discarded packaging materials, and dunnage from unloading import containers at loading docks and rail cars at the rail dock. We also deal with the disposal of damaged food products. We commit to recycling materials like cardboard. We will segregate wood dunnage and place it in a separate dumpster for delivery to mulch facilities. We will dispose of general trash and any food product waste in a trash compactor or dumpster.

• Waste containers from the loading docks and rail dock must be emptied and cleaned daily by operators working in this area. Employees at each location or vendor will be designated to empty and clean waste containers from the office, break room, and washrooms.
• Keep waste containers clean and well maintained (no cracks or leaks).
• Ensure areas such as washrooms, locker rooms, lunch rooms, and offices are kept clean. Employees at each location or vendor will be assigned to clean these areas daily.
• The exterior of the facility must be kept clean and tidy. A clear path must be maintained along the exterior walls to support the Pest Control Program. No equipment, pallets, etc., can be stored against the building. All discarded dunnage and debris must be swept from the loading dock area regularly.
• The grounds must be kept clean to minimize pests.
• The trash dumpster and/or trash compactor (depending on site) must be emptied regularly, and there needs to be a long-term contract in place for a vendor to do so.
• Vehicles used to transport food products must be kept clean. Cross-contamination of ingredients, food products, packaging materials, and chemicals used in sanitation or maintenance must be prevented during transportation.
• Storage areas of the facility must be kept clean and tidy.

Health and Safety Information

Chemical supplier(s) must provide current Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) for all chemicals. MSDS sheets will be readily accessible in a shared folder on the server.

All employees must wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), e.g., gloves, goggles/face masks, etc.

Monitoring

Housekeeping and sanitation activities must be monitored by the Warehouse Manager or designated daily by walking through the warehouse and checking office, washroom, and break room areas to maintain daily housekeeping activities.

The Warehouse Manager or designate will also complete a Warehouse Inspection Form weekly to document the inspection of the warehouse storage areas. Corrective action(s) and completion of the corrective action will also be noted on the Warehouse Inspection Form.

Warehouse Cleaning and Sanitization Schedule

Daily Schedule

• Broom clean heavy traffic areas:
• Flatbed loading area
• Loading docks
• Aisles and pathways not containing cargo
• Driver check-in entrance
• Warehouse garbage cans emptied into dumpster/compactor

Each day, the warehouse may add additional cleaning tasks based on findings from warehouse inspections.

Weekly Tasks

• Clean and sanitize employee bathrooms
• Clean and sanitize office bathrooms
• Empty office trash cans
• Sweep debris from the outside area around loading docks and drainage grates.

Monthly Cleaning Services

• Broom clean perimeter of the building(s)
• Clean out under loading dock plates
• Inspect and clean cobwebs, dust, and debris in pallet storage areas containing cargo, and driver check-in entrance
• Fire extinguishers are checked to be within operating range and the tag is initialed appropriately.
• Extinguishers found not to be within operating range are removed and brought to the office for service.
• Floor scrubbing (or equivalent)
• Flatbed loading area
• Loading docks
• Aisles and pathways not containing cargo

Cleaning Practices

• Only cleaning products listed on the approved chemical list are to be used.
• Greenhead mops are to be used to clean bathroom areas.
• Whitehead mops are to be used for warehouse and office areas.

Inspections for Compliance

The warehouse manager will complete inspections of products in long-term storage each month to determine if the cleaning operations are effective in maintaining food safety standards.

The inspection form will identify any deficiencies in the cleaning program and any food safety conditions of products in storage.
GWSI will conduct monthly inspections with maintenance staff and/or vendors to ensure that maintenance and service work comply with food safety standards.