The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) concept is traditionally associated with those involved in food manufacture and processing, however in recent years it has gained popularity as a system for the management of product safety for manufacturers of non-food products.
HACCP is a management system where the safety of products is addressed through the analysis and control of hazards (biological, chemical, physical, allergenic). The analysis is applied to all stages of production from raw material receipt through to distribution and supply of the finished product. In the UK it is a legal requirement for all food businesses to implement a HACCP.
No, it is not a legal requirement. However, many businesses, such as those supplying the food and drink sector , find that their customers may insist that they have a HACCP plan in place as a prerequisite to trade with them. Some industry standards setting organisation such as the BRC also recognise the value of HACCP as a way of ensuring the safety of consumer products.
Many non-food manufacturers are involved in the production of products that have safety hazard and risks associated with them. This includes, but is not limited to, businesses involved in chemical production, cosmetics, cleaning products and medical product manufacture.
For these types of business, HACCP provides a proven structured system for:
Specifically, the benefits of HACCP include:
For many non-food businesses the safety of customers is paramount, especially as any injury and harm can lead to your brand’s reputation taking a nose dive, and having a HACCP plan encourages other companies, brands, and suppliers to work with you on a long-term basis, as it shows your company takes safety seriously. By implementing a HACCP plan precisely, and professionally, you are able to lower the risks in your products.
Whilst it is not a legal requirement for businesses involved in non-food manufacture to implement HACCP, having a HACCP plan can assist a manufacturer ensure that the products they make comply with other relevant regulations and meet required safety requirements under UK law. HACCP is a useful tool demonstrating due diligence.
HACCP is an internationally recognised approach to safety. Having a HACCP system for your non-food manufacturing business will help promote it as trustworthy, serious, and professional to other countries. Being able to say that you use the HACCP approach to safety will go a long way when it comes to international trading.
Fundamentally, HACCP is all about minimising risk. Invariably, this means ensuring your manufacturing related processes and procedures are not only up to scratch, but that they are also the best that they can be. So, by using the HACCP approach and having HACCP plans helps to demonstrate you are in full control of your relevant manufacturing processes in a way you’ve never done before.
At RI Training we offer bespoke non-food HACCP team training courses that can be adapted to support the implementation of HACCP in any non-food manufacturing business.
We offer training courses for managers and employees who will be involved in the development of HACCP plans and those in your team who will be required to manage and work with the HACCP plans.
We also offer access to our own assessment and certification to support the course delivery.
Please click on the courses below for more information or contact us today to start your teams non-food manufacturing HACCP journey.