ECEN3453 Plant Tour

02102016

Gardenia Bakeries Philippines, Inc.

Gardenia Centre, Star
Avenue,
Laguna International
Industrial Park (LIIP),
Mamplasan,
Binan,

New State-of-the-art Plant

Gardenias plant in Bian, Laguna has been one of the top educational
field trip destinations in the country since it opened the factory for free plant
visits. The company showcases its world-class bread manufacturing facility
that is ISO and HACCP certified, giving consumers the assurance of product
quality and food safety in a well-sanitized bakery environment.
It is the companys pride and joy where, each day, hundred thousands
of loaves of bread and snack items are produced in a fully automated facility,
untouched by human hands. Not resting, Gardenia just inaugurated its new
sixth plant capable of producing 150,000 loaves per day or a 50% increase in
its current production capacity. This plant uses an improved concept in the
ingredient handling and makeup systems, use of robotics in handling baking
pans, and a unique technology in the depanning process which promises to
be gentler to the bread. Gardenias plant in Laguna is toured by as much as

3,000 to 8,000 visitors a day.

Baking Breads Untouched By Human Hands

The plant tour aims to impart to the students the knowledge about
modern bread production that is untouched by human hands. Additionally, it
promotes the importance of proper nutrition and sanitation practices as
foundations to a healthy mind and body, and as well values education.
While Gardenias secrets to success will be shared to visitors via an
audio-visual presentation (AVP), the most exciting part of the program is the
actual catwalk tour of the visitors as they enjoy viewing the complete plant
facility and step-by-step process of baking breads, the Gardenia way. Nobody
leaves the factory without taking their good poses with a bread sample at
the photo opportunity areas. No wonder they cannot forget their unusual
field trip, baking breads untouched by human hands!
Making bread the Gardenia way is fascinating and educational for kids
and adults alike - to see how staple food, like bread, is made on such a
massive scale. To view thousands of loaves stacked in tiers on two spiral
coolers and be able to see automated handling process is an awe-inspiring
and fun learning experience. The bread making process makes children
appreciate the lengths the people of Gardenia go through to make sure the
bread they get is fresh, safe, delicious and nutritious.

Giving a Unique Learning Experience and Values Enhancement

The tour serves as an educational and informational activity providing
visitors a unique learning experience. Gardenias free plant tour is another
manifestation of Gardenias commitment to people. It is educational but also
equally fascinating, delightful and deliciousthanks to the free samples that
welcome visitors at the end of the tour. Like everything else it does, Gardenia
has taken the extra stepa bold step, when one considers the time, expense

and logistics of hosting thousands of visitors per dayto accommodate you

and take a free tour to the most modern bread factory ever in the country.
Site Map

Location: Star Avenue, Laguna International Industrial Park (LIIP),

Mamplasan, Binan, Laguna
Contact no.:
o
o
o

Trunk Line: (02) 889-8889 to 90 / (02) 845-0971 to 72 / (02) 832-3100 to 01

Mobile: +639209114606 (Smart) / +639178942341 (Globe) /
+639228761618 (Sun)
Fax: (632) 809-6728 / (049) 539-114

Satellite Map

Gardenias Bread Factory

Gardenias Legacy in the Baking Industry

Tracing Back Its History: Gardenias Humble Beginnings
Gardenias roots go back to Singapore where, in 1978, it began as a
humble in-store bakery. Increasing demand led to the opening of Gardenias
first-commercial bakery at Pandan Loop in March 1983. Gardenia has since
been the market leader in Singapore and has expanded its operations in Asia
to countries such as Malaysia and Thailand with the latest in the Gardenia
chain of bakeries here in the Philippines.
It all began in 1997, QAF Limited through Gardenia International Pte.
Ltd. established Gardenia Bakeries Philippines Inc. and started construction
of its bakery plant in Laguna International Industrial Park (LIIP), Bian,
Laguna.
Gardenia Philippines started its operations in 1998 with the state-ofthe-art bread factory rated as one of the most modern large scale bread

manufacturing facility in the country. Its major, highly-automated equipment

come from the best bakery equipment suppliers from Germany, Holland, UK
and USA making it the leading manufacturing company in the Philippines.
Over the years, Gardenia has gained wide acceptance and is now considered
as the most widely distributed loaf brand, reaching many parts of the
country.
World-class Products: Gardenias Steadfast Commitment to Quality
Gardenia Philippines offers a wide array of superior bakery products
including white, wheat and health breads, flavored loaves, pandesal and
snack items like snack cakes, muffins and toasts. Gardenia breads are known
for their good taste, freshness, softness, oven-baked aroma and nutritive
value. The popular Classic White Bread is cholesterol free and bromate free,
has zero transfat, and is vitamin and mineral fortified, exceeding DOH
recommendations. Its product slogan "So good...you can even eat it on its
own"

best

describes

the

product

benefits.

Gardenia, being a consumer-focused and branded food company, is

singularly driven in delivering superior consumer value through providing
consumers with superior products. The Gardenia trademark means value and
is respected all over Asia.
Gardenia

has

been

awarded

with International

Organization

for

Standardization ISO 9001: 2000 certifications from 2003 to 2009 and has
now upgradedto ISO 9001:2008 in compliance with Quality Management
System and certification for product quality excellence. This assures that
consumers only get the highest quality products in the market. Moreover,
Gardenia is HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) certified since

2003 to presentproof of the companys adherence to the systematic

approach in the identification, evaluation, and control of food safety
standards. From 2004-2010, Gardenia was accorded Superbrands status by
Superbrands Ltd., an independent authority and arbiter on branding. This, on
the other hand, re-affirms that Gardenia has met the stringent criteria of
market dominance, longevity, goodwill, customer loyalty and overall market
acceptance. Another notable award is the Annual National Consumers Award
(ANCA) as the Outstanding Bread Manufacturer for five straight years.
These are some testaments which prove that Gardenia provides only
the best products for Filipino consumers.
Moving to the Future: Paving the way for Gardenias Continued
Success
Gardenia Philippines pioneered a unique distribution system, ensuring
that only fresh breads reach consumers every day. Gardenia strictly follows
its international policy of keeping only fresh stocks on the store shelves. As
soon as products come out of the factory, delivery vans leave the production
plant as early as 4 oclock in the morning to bring the products to specific
locations in the country. Replacing unsold breads in store shelves with only
freshly baked top-quality products during each day of delivery is a Gardenia
practice unmatched in the industry.
Since the start of its operations, Gardenias distribution had grown
rapidly. Gardenia is now considered as the most widely distributed loaf brand
in Metro Manila to as far as Isabela, Abra, Cagayan and Ilocos provinces in
the North, Bicol and Sorsogon in the South, and Negros, Samar, Antique,
Aklan, Iloilo and Leyte in the Visayas region. Increasing demand led Gardenia

to reach Cebu, Bohol, Butuan City, Iligan City, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon
and Davao City in Mindanao.
From Gardenia's establishment in 1998, the brands success has been
starkly evident with its continuous and rapid sales growth.
This combination of superior product quality, advanced bread-making
technology and extensive system of distribution reflects the consumeroriented vision of Gardenia Philippines that brings consumers the highest
level of product satisfaction.
The reason behind Gardenia's success is no secret; it is the people who
made Gardenia what it is today and the goal of sustaining Gardenias
leadership and excellence. Our enthusiasm to serve constitutes the yeast
that raises the dough and with this, Gardenia will continue to take the lead.
Vision
Our vision is to become the premier company in the baking industry
and the related food and beverage industry, known and emulated for our
best quality products that delight the consumer. It is the pride of every
employee, investor, trade partner and stakeholder.
Mission
Our mission is to serve consumers with the best quality
assortment of great-tasting bakery and related food and beverage products,
with world-class manufacturing facilities and an efficient nationwide
distribution network, thereby providing a fair return on shareholder
investments.

Core Values
Customer Driven- Wealways put the customer first in everything we
do.
o Innovation We constantly initiate change and encourage creativity.
o Teamwork and Professionalism We are one company, one team
working together professionally.
o Integrity We uphold honesty and objectivity in the things that we
do.
o Excellence We relentlessly pursue continuous improvement and aim
for the highest standard in our work.
o Stewardship We treat company resources with pride as if they are
our own.
Food Safety Policy
We, at Gardenia Bakeries Philippines, are committed to assure
customers and consumers that our products are produced with superior
quality ingredients and according to strict safety and hygienic standards that
comply with statutory and regulatory requirements.
Quality Policy
We, at Gardenia Bakeries Philippines, are committed to delight
consumers by providing best quality bakery products.
We

aim

for

excellence

through

innovation

and

continuous

improvement of our processes, products and services, ensuring compliance

with our customers and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
We are steadfast in our commitment that quality begins with each
and every one of us.

Achievements
Gardenias

achievements

are

due

to

our

beloved

customers

continuous support and loyalty. Because of this, Gardenia will continue to

provide consumers with the best bread products that they can enjoy
anytime, anywhere.

Gardenia Bakeries Phils., Inc. bagged three new awards in the DTICenter for Industrial Competitiveness Search for Model Company held last
July 8, 2011. Being the only company to win all three categories of the ProActive

Programs

Relationship,

Achievement

Family

Awards

Welfare/Community

namely,

Labor

Relations,

and

Management
Quality

&

Productivity, attests to Gardenia's mission to enrich the quality of life for the
Filipino not only through the manufacturing of high quality breads, but also in
caring for the welfare of every family, community and employee behind its
success.
The Pro-Active Program Achievement Award is given yearly by the
Department of Trade and Industry across all industries in recognition of a
company's exemplary achievements in institutionalizing its programs.
Corporate entrants are evaluated and judged according to documented facts
and highly measurable results.
As the winner of the Labor Management Relationship award, Gardenia
invests highly in strengthening employees' knowledge, abilities, attitude and
morale through company-sponsored trainings and events resulting in their
continued high motivation, happiness, health and well-being.
Out besting the rest in the Family Welfare/Community Relations
category stems from Gardenia's various programs such as "Daily Bread"
which provides 10,000 loaves of bread to the various sectors of society
weekly; sponsorships of educational activities for employees and students,
medical missions, livelihood and outreach programs for the jobless and the
poor as well as environmental projects for the entire community.
Emerging as the champion in Quality and Productivity--category with
stringent criteria--is the result of having a 6k plant (the largest and the most
advanced in the country today) that allows for high input and efficiency, a
state-of-the-art and "untouched by human hands" bread production process,
consistency in meeting ISO and HACCP standards and various consumer
awards plus a very strong customer focus, among others.

With 3 new feathers in its cap, Gardenia is indeed a role model

company that leads by example, inspiring other companies to enrich the
lives of the people they serve in various industries.

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 9001:2008

Certified by Certification International Philippines, Inc.
2003 to present
The ISO Certification signifies the companys rigorous standards of
quality and efficiency set by ISO, the worlds largest developer of standards.
Being ISO certified means the company has a world class Quality
Management Systems (QMS) that has been and is being evaluated by a
certifying bodyfrom design, development, manufacturing, all the way to
the distribution. This certification further assures that consumers only get
the highest quality products in the market.

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)

Certified by Certification International Philippines, Inc.
2003 to present
This International Standard specifies requirements for a food safety
management system where an organization in the food chain needs to
demonstrate its ability to control food safety hazards in order to ensure that
food is safe at the time of human consumption. This certification is a proof of
the companys adherence to the systematic approach in the identification,
evaluation, and control of food safety standards.
Superbrands
By the Superbrands Asia
2004 to 2010
This prestigious distinction is given to the Philippines strongest and
most recognized brands that have met the standards of market dominance,
longevity, goodwill, customer loyalty and overall market acceptance.
Annual National Consumers Awards (ANCA)
By the Consumers Union of the Philippines (CUP)
Outstanding Bread Manufacturer
2004 to 2008
The ANCA gives recognition to the Products, Services and Individuals
who continually endeavor for excellence in the products that they make, and
render the best service at all times. It is in this manner that every year the
consumer shows its token of appreciation by way of a golden statuette that
symbolizes HONOR and PRESTIGE for the products and services chosen for
its manifestation of excellence that towers above all.

Products

Manufacturing Process

The Gardenia production and sales teams work throughout the night to
ensure that only the freshest bread reaches you. Nothing is rushed. The
entire process takes 8 hours to complete.
Gardenia uses the traditional American Sponge and Dough breadmaking method to bake you that soft-textured loaf with a tender crust and
distinct taste. This unique method ensures that Gardenia's bread stays fresh
longer and tastes so good you can even eat it on its own.

Automatic Blending
The production process begins with a
computerized blending of the exact
amount of quality ingredients needed.
This helps to ensure equal goodness in
every loaf.

Production of Sponge Mix

The specially formulated Gardenia
enriched flour, purified water, yeast,
vitamins, and minerals are added
together to form the sponge which is
released into a trough.

Fermentation Room
The sponge dough is then kept in a
fermentation room, under controlled
temperature and humidity for 4 hours,
so that Carbon dioxide is released, and
sponge can rise. This fermentation
process helps the sponge to develop a
unique Gardenia bread texture, aroma
and taste.

Production of Dough Mix

At this stage, the sponge is mixed again
with other ingredients to form the
dough. Depending on the type of bread
to be baked, these can include
skimmed milk
powder, vegetable
shortening, wheatgerm, bran, malt or
honey.

Divider
The dough is then divided into the
required weight for each loaf and
conveyed to a rounder.

Rounder
At the rounder, each piece of dough is
kneaded so that Carbon Dioxide is
trapped and the bread can develop a
soft texture when it is baked.

Checkweigher
The dough pieces then go through the
checkweigher. Here, the pieces that are
over or under the required weight are
automatically rejected.

Intermediate Proofer
The dough is then left to rest in the
intermediate proofer for 10 minutes
before being molded and placed into
the baking pans.

Moulder
Here, the dough is shaped according to
the desired configuration and then
automatically placed into the pans.

Automatic Lidder
The pans are lidded automatically to
give the bread its uniform rectangular
shape.

Final Proofer
At this final proofer stage, the yeast is
allowed
to
rise
further
under
controlled temperature and humidity.
Once the dough has risen to the
desired height, it is finally ready for
baking.

Tunnel Oven
Here, Gardenia breads are baked for
about 20 minutes at a temperature of
approximately 200 degrees Celsius in
the state-of-the-art tunnel oven.

Automatic Delidder and Depanner

Hot from the oven, the freshly baked
loaves are then reoved by vacuum
sunction before being conveyed to a
bread cooler.

Bread Cooler
This bread cooler can hold up to 8000 loaves of bread per hour. The freshly
baked and hot bread loaves need to be kept in the cooler for about an hour
until slightly above room temperature before it is ready for packing.

Automatic Slicer and Bagger

When the loaves are sufficiently
cooled, it is then ready to be sliced,
wrapped and made convenient for
consumption in attractive Gardenia
packaging mechanically sealed with
G-locks tags that are printed with
use-by dates.

Delivery
The freshly baked breads are then
delivered to retail outlets.

Policy on Safety and Health at

Work
Gardenia Bakeries Philippines, Inc. is devoted to protecting the life and
health of its workers. The objective of the companys professional and
process safety procedure is to identify and carry out preventive measures
aimed at reducing occupational diseases, industrial accidents and other
incidents. Gardenia used and smeared advanced production technology and
progressive security measures for workers safety. The manufacturing
process was made to be a fully automated production in order to minimize
the risk and hazards for the employees and to produce top quality loaves and
breads to satisfy the consumers. The continual improvement of the
manufacturing process and the safety management system minimizes the
risks to the employees and the gives the company a world-class process
safety and production standards.

The company follows efficient production and engineering process

management practices and provide training to increase employee proficiency
though the production only uses minimal human intervention. Its fully
automated manufacturing system encourages and motivate a safe working
environment for the minimal number of employee on the production process.
Safety is non-negotiable
At Gardenia, we believe that sustainable success can be reached only
through people. No other asset in the company is as important as the people
that contribute with their work to our culture and our business results.
Therefore, we devote all the necessary energy and attention to protect
employees, contractors and any other people involved with the company
along the value chain, including suppliers, customers and the public.
This Policy on Safety and Health at Work is based on the Corporate
Business Principles and the Management and Leadership Principles, which
are binding for the whole company
Conformity
To be at the forefront of accident prevention in the industry, we
implement in all our sites the mandatory Occupational Safety and Health
Management System, which meets or exceeds the requirements of the
health and safety laws applicable in the countries in which we operate.
Strong safety and health organization
Gardenia believes that accidents are preventable and therefore one
accident is one too many.

We integrate Safety and Health in the management of our business in

such a way that all activities are considered with a perspective of prevention
of all types of accidents and protection of the people at work.
To advance a strong safety culture that effectively prevents accidents;
we establish local safety and health organizations that provide specialist
advice to managers and employees.

We commit to perform systematic

identification of hazards and to manage them with appropriate risk

assessments and subsequent actions to minimize danger.
We establish emergency and contingency plans to deal with residual
risks. This approach also minimizes threats to the business, protecting our
shareholders interests.
Constant and consistent improvement
Our Occupational Safety and Health management system is based on
the concept of continuous improvement. We improve constantly our
performance by designing and adapting processes, work practices and
systems in the direction of better ergonomics and greater safety.
We base our improvement on the monitoring of safety and health
performance as well as on the analysis of incidents that produce injuries and
of workplace activities whose cumulative effects may lead to illnesses.
Leadership and participation
Our company recognizes the critical role of senior management to
ensure a safe and healthy work environment.
As an integral part of managing the business, managers at all levels
are accountable for managing workplace health and safety with strong

leadership and credibility. Their annual objectives include a contribution to

the safety culture and performance.
To reinforce an already strong safety culture, our company sets
ambitious goals and high standards, as part of its Occupational Safety and
Health management process.
At the same time, employee involvement is indispensable to establish
and maintain safety and health in the workplace. Respect of safety
principles, standards and procedures is a condition of employment.
Conversely, employees are empowered to:
challenge any unsafe acts they see or perceive;
put a task on hold if they judge that safety is not adequate, until a
competent person takes appropriate risk control measures.
Employees are responsible for working in a safe manner to prevent
injury to themselves, fellow workers and other persons. They are asked to
become actively involved in programs to improve health and safety
performance in the workplace.

Behavioral approach
Our company attributes the highest importance to peoples behaviors
as the main factor for the prevention of accidents.
We believe that every time an accident occurs, the root causes can be
traced to someones behavior. Therefore, we implement programs that

encourage employees to engage in dialogue with peers and management

about safe and at risk behaviors.
Communication, education and training
The company builds a proactive safety culture by:
o driving the implementation and continual improvement of the
Occupational Safety and Health Management System through
communication

with

employees,

contractors

and

other

stakeholders;
o educating, training and equipping employees to ensure that they
are empowered to avoid unsafe situations and to respond rapidly
to unexpected events;
o influencing, training and education of contractors, suppliers and
community.
Implementation, certification and audits
Our company implements this policy through the Occupational Safety
and Health Management System, which includes periodic self-assessments
and specific audits. Local management is accountable for its implementation.
To ensure a consistent and coherent implementation worldwide,
Gardenia submits all its manufacturing sites to OHSAS 18001 certification by
independent accredited bodies.
Community, supply chain, contractors and other stakeholders
Our companys business model is based on the creation of shared
value for the company and the society. With our work to foster our
companys safety culture for example through safe driving programs for
employees and contractors we also act on the safety culture of the

communities in which we operate, both by giving an example of commitment

and by reducing accidents during business outside our sites.
o Communicate with local communities and their emergency
services, providing them with adequate health and safety
information on our operations;
o Encourage employees to apply their safety and health learning in
their private life, at home and during leisure.

This is the Gardenia distribution center, its the largest in the

Philippines and amazingly dispatches 650,000 loaves & buns of bread a day!
That would make a distribution & logistics system sophisticated enough to
bring fresh bread to each store daily & replace unsold bread on store
shelves.

The Gardenia plant is ISO 9001: 2008 certified & HCAPP (Hazard
Analysis and Critical Control Point) certified proof that the company strictly
adheres to the highest standards of food quality & safety.

ISO 9001:2008
o ISO 9001:2008 certification has been in place for over a decade now
and is used by both customers and companies as a method of
controlling their quality.
o The Standard provides a framework to manage your business and
ensure a philosophy of continual improvement in all aspects of your
business.
o It is externally assessed on an ongoing basis to ensure these business
practices are maintained.
The principles of ISO 9001:2008 are:
ISO 9001: 2008 is an international standard related to quality
management system, applicable to any organization from all types of
business sectors and activities.

ISO 9001:2008 is based on eight quality management principles (all

fundamental to good business practice). When fully adopted, these principles
can help improve your organizational performance:
o Customer focus: organizations depends on their customers, and
therefore need to shape activities around the fulfillment of market
need
o Leadership: is needed to provide unity of purpose and direction
o Involvement of people: creates an environment where people become
fully involved in achieving the organization's objectives
o Process approach: to achieve organizational objectives, resources and
activities need to be managed as processes, with an understanding of
how the outputs of one process affects the inputs of another
o System approach to management: the effectiveness and efficiency of
the organization depends on a systemized approach to work activities
o Continual improvement: adopting this as a part of everyday culture is a
key objective for an organization
o Fact based decision-making: effective decisions are based on the
logical and intuitive analysis of data and factual information
o Mutually beneficial supplier relationships: such relationships will
enhance theability to create value.
Benefits of ISO 9001:2008
o Involves Top management in the improvement of the Quality
management System
Facilitates the organization to become a customer-focused
organization.
o Ensures sustained customer satisfaction by producing, delivering
services and providing support functions that meet customer's needs
and expectations.
o Increases the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization through
continual improvement in systems and products /services quality.

HACCP Certified (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point)

HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) is internationally
accepted

as

the

most

cost-effective

method

of

preventing

food

contamination from chemical, microbiological and physical hazards.

HACCP audits focus on the potential causes of food safety hazards by
assessing the entire production process, and then applying preventative
controls at critical points. Critical control points may include equipment, the
supply chain of raw materials or employee training and supervision.
By using the HACCP system, control is shifted from end product testing
(corrective) into the design and manufacturing of products (preventive) and
can be applied to a specific product or to an existing or new process.
HACCP has international recognition as the most cost-effective means
of controlling food borne disease and is endorsed as such by the Joint
FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission.
This certification programme is mainly to help food industry or catering
services to develop, implement, and evaluate the safety and quality of the
operation process. A certificate will be issued based on the conformity of
general requirements of HACCP. As an experienced and respected food safety
certification body, we have expertise in the full range of international safety
regulations, and can help you formulate a cogent, cost effective food safety
management system.
Specifically for the catering industry, in addition to HACCP we offer a
full suite of Good Catering Practice (GCP) audits to provide you with the
essential tools for the catering industry, ensuring you have an essential
foundation for other important food safety standards, such as SOP and ISO
9001:2008 Certification - Quality Management.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Gardenia uses a small number of employees on their production
process due to their fully automated system of manufacturing. That small
number of employees on the production stage were there basically to
monitor and check the production. All the process in manufacturing
loaves/breads are on the machines and equipment, as of the companys less
human intervention system implication. But those employees on the
production were still required to use the designated PPE for food industries
for the employees and consumers health and safety, and since Gardenia is a
HACCP certified, it strictly follows the standards given for the food industry.
Protective clothing performs several functions in the Food Industry:
o Legal Various Regulations prescribe the type of clothing which must
be worn by food workers;
o Safety When a product has to be used which is potentially harmful to
the user, adequate personal protection must be provided;
o Production

protection

In

addition

to

meeting

the

legal

requirements, most food manufacturers, especially those making high

risk products, adopt a much wider approach when choosing garments,
and major retailers may have their own requirements for suppliers;
o Denoting place of work This is of particular importance where
cross contamination of processed food from raw food must be
prevented. A worker who has crossed to another area without changing
his overall is immediately apparent if he is wearing a different colour or
trim or style from the others in that area. It is strongly recommended
that there is a different colour coding for high care and low risk

production areas including the changing rooms.

o Encouraging clean working It may not be possible to enforce
pride in the uniform in the same way as in the forces but if a worker
is provided with well-fitting, comfortable clothing which bears the
company logo and is regularly laundered, he will know that his
employer is concerned about cleanliness and hygiene. (Company logos
also are recognized by the major retailers and suppliers.
Note: In most industries (e.g. car industry) employees wear protective
clothing to protect themselves and their clothing from the materials with
which they are in contact. In Gardenia, under food industry, protective
clothing or equipment like coats, gloves, masks, hairnets are worn to protect
the food or the loaves and breads from the handler. This was just an end
effect of their fully automated system with less human intervention which
lessen the risks and hazards for the employees at work.
Legal Requirements
The Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations state that Every
person working in a food handling area shall maintain a high degree of
personal cleanliness and shall wear suitable, clean, and where appropriate,
protective clothing. These Regulations also state that adequate changing
facilities for personnel must be provided where necessary.
The Health & Safety at Work Act gives an employer the general duty of
ensuring the health, safety and welfare of all his employees. Health and
Safety Regulations can be made under this act Imposing requirements with
respect to the provision and use in specified circumstances of protective
clothing - including clothing affording protection against the weather.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH)
stipulate that where the use of such substances cannot be controlled by

other means,
The employer shall provide those employees with such personal
protective equipment as will adequately control their exposure to substances
hazardous to health. Certain cleaning compounds and insecticides are
obvious examples of where special clothing is necessary for those using
them. However, common ingredients in bulk may be irritant or have other
characteristics that make the wearing of protective clothing a wise
precaution.
Head Coverings
The hair represents a source of both foreign matter
contamination and bacterial contamination. It therefore
follows that hats should be worn in food premises and
that the hair should be entirely enclosed. It should be
explained to the wearers to why there is a need for hair
covering. Remind them of their hygiene training and the
need to be aware of the risks of foreign bodies and pathogens from their
hair. Many customer complaints involve finding hairs in food).
Whatever style of hat is chosen, it is best, especially for long hair, if
hairnets are worn underneath the hat. The hairnets should be brightly
coloured (usually blue) to be easily seen. Some are manufactured with small
metal tags. These have the advantage that if they accidentally enter a
product, a metal detector will locate them. Over the hairnet should be worn
one of the various hats available. Styles must be of a generous size to cover
all the hair and be comfortable. Elastication must be inserted in a way that
will avoid any irritation in use. Many types can have a snood attached to
contain the hair gathered at the neck. For absolute protection a balaclava hat
which covers all but the face may be preferred. The choice will depend very

much on the type of food and the duties of the worker. In recent years hats
and hairnets are often replaced by mob caps which cover all the hair on the
head. Preferably, the mob caps should be single use ones with a silver strip.
These caps are disposed of when the wearer leaves the food area, and when
they return a new one is worn. Mop caps come in many different colours
(green, yellow, red, blue etc) and therefore be chosen to fit with the colour
coding of the work area.
Trilby hats are often used for managers. These have the disadvantage
of being difficult to clean and of turning yellow. It should be recognised that
they have a limited life and replacements should be available.
Hard hats may be necessary as a safety precaution where head impact
is possible, e.g. with items travelling on an overhead conveyor. They have
the advantage of being easily cleaned.
Disposable paper hats of the forage type used in catering outlets are
not suitable for food factories, except for visitors who do not come into close
proximity with uncovered food. Disposable hats made from non-woven
fabrics can be effective for high-risk areas where a daily clean issue is a
must, and may be a cheaper alternative to laundering.
All the head hair should be covered including beards and moustaches.
Beard snoods in net and disposable fabric are available, and should be worn
to minimise contamination. This also includes the site engineers, all
contracted staff and any visitors to the site.
The ears, eyes and nose of a worker may require protection. For
someone handling dusty ingredients, such as flour, a face mask will protect
the lungs from inhaled dust. If the workstation is near to noisy machinery,
ear defenders must be provided.

Face mask
Face mask in Gardenia is use to protect the
employees from inhaling dust from flour used, and
to protect the product from the handlers, simply to
avoid contamination or unwanted substance for
the loaves/bread (products).
As a half mask, it does not cover the upper
part of the face and therefore does not protect the
eyes. It does not protect from head injuries of any kind to other parts of the
head such as impact from falling objects.
For eye protection, noise protection or head protection other safety
equipment must be used in conjunction with a half mask. For eyes to be
protected from noxious substances in the air a full mask, which covers the
whole face, can be used. This has a transparent cover that engulfs the upper
part of the face.

Overalls
The body is commonly covered by one of three types of overgarment;
a coverall (boiler suit); separate jacket or shirt and trousers; or a coat overall
perhaps with overall trousers. The coat overall has the advantage of being
suitable for wear over a skirt. In Gardenia, they are using different color of
coverall per day, they have designated color each day and it is numbered on
the right side of the sleeve.
When deciding which style to adopt, attention should be given to how
staff will dress and undress. For all practical purposes it is impossible to
remove a coverall without trailing a considerable portion of it on the floor

and risking unacceptable contamination both from

general changing areas. Remember that the protective
clothing particularly for high care work ares should
never be worn outside the production area. The
operatives must change out of it when leaving their
work area even when visiting the canteen. Protective clothing should never
be worn when visiting the toilet.
The cost will be almost doubled if jacket and trousers are chosen. Also
there is little difference in the cost of laundering any one item of clothing, as
each has to be individually handled.
Many methods of garment closure have been tried such as Velcro,
metal or plastic zips and metal or plastic press-studs. Metal press-studs are
currently most commonly used but although they are extremely reliable they
can on rare occasions become detached. Their metal construction is then an
advantage in that they are metal detectable. Some garments are now being
made with the press-studs concealed behind a fly front. This can make it
difficult for the laundry to check for missing studs but this design has proved
reliable. However, if the wearer spends time leaning against a worktop, the
pressure of the stud against the surface can rapidly wear a hole in the front
of the garment. The number and spacing of studs on the front of the garment
is important to avoid gaping. A pitch of 90mm (3.55 in) between studs has
been suggested. For some areas it is necessary for garments to be closed up
to the throat, which will require a modification to the design and extra pressstuds. Elasticated cuffs will give a snug fit at the wrist but they may be liable
to deterioration and the deeply ribbed fabric is more difficult to clean.
Garments should not have outside pockets, as there is the danger that
pens and other items may fall out when the wearer leans over a container of

products In some manufacturing areas inside pockets as well as outer

pockets are not allowed. All personal items must be left in a locker area.
Whatever style of garment is worn, it must completely cover all other
clothing. Garments should not be worn unbuttoned even to the waist, nor
should short-sleeved overalls be worn over long-sleeved garments.
Footwear
Gardenia follows the requirement of Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), they ensure that employees use protective footwear
while working on the manufacturing areas.
Their safety shoes come in many styles both formal and informal.
However, workers require reliable and durable work shoes for their safety.
Traditional safety shoes are steel toed, but it can also be made of composite
materials such as thermoplastics and aluminum.
Following considerations are to be made for selecting right type of safety
shoes for the workers:
o Work environment and associated hazards
o Material used in safety shoes and their effectiveness to resistant
hazards
o Water, heat and cold resistance
o Electric resistance, puncture and cut resistance
Ideally, footwear should be dedicated to the work area. Operatives
should ensure that the shoes that they choose are comfortable and well
fitting. The shoes should be readily cleanable. They should be stored on
cleanable racks in the changing room.
It is good practice as well as for health and safety reasons that the
wearing of safety shoes should be compulsory. Suppliers and stockists will

visit factories, often with a mobile shop and fitting room,

or items can be obtained by mail order through the
personnel or welfare department. Shoes should be
chosen which have a reinforced toecap and a non-slip
sole.

Visitors

must

also

comply

with

footwear

requirements. Accordingly, a range of sizes of spare

footwear should be kept available for them. Otherwise, plastic overshoes
should be available to cover the visitors shoes when they reach the
changing room.
Wellington boots will be required where wet processing or cleaning is
carried out, or where a footbath is installed at a doorway to prevent crosscontamination.
Footwear should be colour coded where ever possible as a reminder of
the hygiene requirements of the production area.
Gloves
Better clean hands than dirty gloves is a saying with a certain
amount of truth in it. It is obvious when hands feel sticky or look dirty, it is
not so obvious when gloves are in that condition.

Wearing gloves is never

an excuse for not washing them and the hands. It has been found that
wearing impervious gloves can cause the skin to perspire, bringing bacteria
to the surface. Should the glove become punctured, the result can be
contaminated food. Many companies carry out hand hygiene spot checks.
This proves a valuable tool when the operative believes he or she would
rather wear gloves this can be easily done with glo-germ kits.
Work gloves are personal protective equipment worn during work
projects that cover and protect the hands from the wrist to the fingers. Work
gloves are meant to save the user's hands and fingers from unnecessary

wounds such as cuts, blisters, splinters, skin punctures or heat and chemical
burns. Gloves vary in type depending on the work environment. Work gloves
may also be known as safety gloves or protective gloves.
Due to the different hazards and conditions
encountered by different professionals, there are many
different kinds of work gloves. The nature of the task will
determine what kind of glove a professional requires. In
Gardenia, they are using the conventional method which
most of the bread manufacturing companies are using.
They still have faucets or wash areas in their working area with potassium
permanganate solution to wash their hands.
PVC thin clear transparent disposable gloves
These gloves are preferred gloves for food handlers as its cheap in
comparison to latex or vinyl gloves. Even while wearing these gloves workers
should be trained to switch over to new pairs in case of damage or high
perspiration in hands. One has to wash his hands and use dryer before
putting up new gloves. These types of gloves are mostly used where glove
changing is frequently required.
Latex disposable gloves
These gloves are required for handling of hot objects such hot cookies
while at baking section or removing defective biscuits from oven or
depanning operations, oven loading or unloading in bakery manufacturing
process. Its also used in area where workers have to handle chemicals.
Latex gloves are costlier than PVC poly gloves hence it is used only where
you cannot replace it with PVC poly gloves. These have to be washed and
sanitized for multiple use. These gloves could sometimes results in rashes
and itching.

The importance of the correct protective clothing policy cannot be over

emphasized.

People

are

major

potential

source

of

foreign

body

contamination (hairs, skin scales, threads and buttons from clothing, etc.)
and microbial (including pathogens) contamination. It is therefore essential
that operatives working in the food and related industries such as Gardenia
Bakeries are aware of this risk and wear the appropriate clothing in the food
production area.
Number of Fire Extinguisher Required
1926.150(c) (1) (i)
A fire extinguisher, rated not less than 2A, shall be provided for each
3,000 square feet of the protected building area, or major fraction thereof.
Travel distance from any point of the protected area to the nearest fire
extinguisher shall not exceed 100 feet.
1926.150(c) (1) (iv)
One or more fire extinguishers, rated not less than 2A, shall be
provided on each floor. In multistory buildings, at least one fire extinguisher
shall be located adjacent to stairway.

Using a Fire Extinguisher (Gardenia Policy/Guideline to follow)

The following steps should be followed when responding to incipient stage
fire:
o Sound the fire alarm and call the fire department, if appropriate.
o Identify a safe evacuation path before approaching the fire. Do not
allow the fire, heat, or smoke to come between you and your
evacuation path.
o Select the appropriate type of fire extinguisher.
o Discharge the extinguisher within its effective range using the P.A.S.S.
technique (pull, aim, squeeze, and sweep).
o Back away from an extinguished fire in case it flames up again.
o Evacuate immediately if the extinguisher is empty and the fire is not
out.
o Evacuate immediately if the fire progresses beyond the incipient stage.
Most fire extinguishers operate using the following P.A.S.S. technique:
1. PULL... Pull the pin. This will also break
the tamper seal.
2. AIM... Aim low, pointing the extinguisher
nozzle (or its horn or hose) at the base
of the fire.
NOTE: Do

not

touch

the

plastic

discharge horn on CO2 extinguishers, it

gets very cold and may damage skin.
3. SQUEEZE... Squeeze the handle to
release the extinguishing agent.

4. SWEEP... Sweep from side to side at the base of the fire until it appears
to be out. Watch the area. If the fire re-ignites, repeat steps 2 - 4.
If you have the slightest doubt about your ability to fight a fire....EVACUATE
IMMEDIATELY!

Photo Documentation