400 PRINCIPLES OFFOODSANITATION
Self-Inspection
Self-inspection should be considered a
regular task performed by trained personnel
who are familiar with the establishment’s
operation. Inspections should be conducted
through the owner/operator or managers,
supervisors, or sanitation consultants. These
inspections are more beneficial if they are
conducted with the aid of a checklist.
Total quality management.....................................................................
Gould (1992) has described total quality
management(TQM) as the modern term to
describe how firms are becoming more suc-
cessful today. He considers TQM to be a new
philosophy that “sets goals for employees
working with management, employees hav-
ing a voice in the operation, and employees
who feel that they are a part of the owner-
ship of the firm.”
This author agrees with Gould (1992) that
TQM is more than a buzzword. This innova-
tive concept involves management and
employees working together for improved
productivity, cost reduction, and product
uniformity and acceptability.
In the TQM approach, management con-
tributes resources and direction but does not
dominate. Small groups are encouraged to
identify opportunities and to discuss them
with a cross-functional steering committee
for prioritization. Projects are implemented
unless costs are increased. Employees are
empowered and work within acceptable
guidelines.
Relationship of TQM to Sanitation
The TQM philosophy is applicable to the
management aspect of sanitation. To more
effectively maintain a sanitary environment,
sanitation must become more exciting, and
everyone must accept responsibility for the
maintenance of a hygienic operation.
In the past, sanitation operations have
been primarily a policing program instead of
a direct responsibility of the individual
employee. However, TQM stresses the involve-
ment of all employees in decisions and
accountability. The term itself denotes pro-
viding the customer with a uniform and
acceptable product through the training,
instruction, and efforts of all employees.
Ahygienic productimplies product safety,
shelf stability, and compliance of the item
with the latest regulations. It appears at the
date of this writing that additional emphasis
will be placed on the use of TQM principles
for sanitation programs of the future. TQM
can assist those involved with sanitation as it
has guided firms in the manufacturing and
service industries. It is a management philos-
ophy that has arrived and when incorporated
will be a valuable tool for sanitarians and
firms that adopt the fundamentals of TQM
and practice the principles.Contract Sanitation
Many food processors depend upon an
outside firm that accepts the responsibility
of cleaning the plant. This arrangement is
called contract sanitation. Contract sanita-
tion offers the processor benefits of a firm
that specializes in cleaning, reduces the
responsibility of the plant management
team, and provides a more consistent and
predictable cleaning budget (White, 2003).
In-house sanitation can save the processor
cleaning costs and provides more flexibility,
because the contract sanitation team is pres-
ent during only one shift. In-plant personnel
offer additional flexibility through the use of
employees where they are needed such as
production, maintenance, or cleaning. In-
plant sanitation offers the processor more
control since the training of employees can
be controlled and protects the processor
against contract firms that may lack effec-
tiveness.