Principles of Food Sanitation

2. Flush the employee immediately at the
   nearest source of water. A shower is
   best, but any source will do. The eyes
   should be held open, and an extensive
   amount of water should be thrown into
   the eyes if necessary.


3. Remove all clothing.


4. After preliminary flushing, if a better
   source of water is near, get to it quickly
   and continue flushing all parts of the
   body thoroughly for at least 15 minutes.
   Secondary first aid treatments, after
   flooding the victim’s injury with water,
   should be kept to a minimum. Laymen
   should not attempt treatments with
   which they are not familiar or which
   they are not authorized to give.


5. If the injured person is confused or in
   shock, immobilize him or her immedi-
   ately, apply warm clothing, then cover
   and transfer the individual to a medical
   facility by stretcher.


6. All but the most minor chemical burns
   should be treated by a medical doctor
   with specific knowledge of such burns.
   Some chemicals may have an internal
   toxic action, and the danger of bacter-
   ial infection exists when the skin has
   been eroded by a chemical.

Dermatitis Precautions

The industrial physician has the primary
responsibility for determining whether an
individual may be predisposed to skin irrita-
tions, and for recommending suitable place-
ment on the basis of these findings. When
dermatitis suddenly develops among individ-
uals on a job, the affected employees should
be sent immediately to an experienced physi-
cian for examination and tests to determine
whether they have acquired sensitivity to the
substance or substances being handled. If
sensitivity has developed, the physician may
decide that the affected worker should be
removed from the exposure. Chemical com-

pounds used in the cleaning operation

should be listed and posted with the sug-

gested treatment for exposure in the first aid

and supervisor’s offices. Area physicians and

medical centers should be listed.

Summary

An effective sanitation program includes

knowledge of soil deposits and use of the

appropriate, versatile cleaning compound for

the specific cleaning application. Soil charac-

teristics determine the most appropriate

cleaning compound. Generally, an acidic

cleaning compound is most effective for

removal ofinorganic deposits, an alkaline

cleaner for removing non-petroleum organic

soils, and a solvent-type cleaner for removal

of petroleum soils.

The major function of cleaning com-

pounds is to lower the surface tension of

water so that soils may be loosened and

flushed away. Detergent auxiliaries are

included in cleaning compounds to protect

sensitive surfaces or to improve the cleaning

properties. Knowledge of how to handle

cleaning compounds is essential to reduce

the potential for injury of employees. If a

worker is accidentally splashed with a clean-

ing compound, the affected area must be

flushed with a large amount of water imme-

diately.

Study questions

1. What does soil mean to those involved
   with cleaning a food facility?


2. How does a cleaning compound func-
   tion?


3. What is emulsification?


4. What is a chelating agent?


5. What does suspension mean to those
   cleaning a food facility?

Cleaning Compounds 163