VISITOR MANAGEMENT FOR COMPANIES IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY
Safety, control, hygiene. Compliance with these aspects is particularly important for food processing companies, but also for food logistics companies. The protection of the company premises plays an important role here as well. We will explain what regulations apply and how digital visitor management can support you with compliance.
Special security standards in the food industry
The food industry in Germany
The food industry contributes to the German economic output with approx. 180 billion euros per year and is thus one of the most important industry sectors of the country. It employs more than 600,000 employees in over 6,000 companies and every day generates food for millions of people in Germany, Europe and the rest of the world. The companies in the food industry thus carry a high degree of responsibility. The highest standards must be adhered to and continuously monitored at any time.
Companies under strict observation
In the name of consumer protection, food processing companies must meet strict requirements with regard to security standards and site security. When rules and regulations are not adhered to, they are threatened with rigorous sanctions.
The companies in the industry are thus anxious to be able to prove highest hygiene standards at any time. Along with other measures, the protection of the industrial premises becomes more and more important. Reliable control of the premises, strict access control, and an optimized supplier and visitor management are essential for the safety and security of food processing companies.
Food safety thanks to IFS Food Standards
In order to meet the requirements by customers, consumer advocates and business partners in the food industry, Handelsverband Deutschland publishes the IFS Food certification in cooperation with the French FCD (Fédération des Entreprises du Commerce et de la Distribution). The aim is to facilitate and standardize the monitoring and control process for companies by introducing a consistent standard to evaluate the quality and safety of food.
Besides a number of rules regarding hygiene, cleanliness and processing of food, the audit protocol also includes instructions on access and visitor tracking. In the following, we will present the specific guidelines and explain how digital visitor and logistics management helps in complying with the IFS Food Standards.
Challenges of visitor management in the food industry
Avoiding contaminations at any cost
Despite increasing automation, many people still work with direct contact to the food being processed. In addition to that, there is a large number of external producers, suppliers or auditors being on the company premises. Considering that every human contact with the goods has the potential of contaminating the food, it becomes clear how important effective visitor management with sophisticated access control is.
How food industry companies protect themselves with visitor management software
In order to guarantee site security and the protection of the company premises, the IFS Food Standard guidelines contain a number of requirements for effective reception management. If a company wants to adhere to these guidelines, it does not get around the digitalization of managing external persons.
What is digital visitor management for companies?
Digital visitor management enables you to automate the reception process. From inviting external persons and controlling access rights up to documenting and storing all visitor data, the management of external persons is completely digital.
Visitor documentation in the food industry
Always know who accessed your premises with digital visitor management
The IFS Food Standard specifies that all people coming into contact with the food to be processed must be identifiable, known and registered prior to accessing the premises.[1]
With VISIT digital visitor management, managing external persons becomes much easier. Thanks to interfaces to a lot of common access control systems, VISIT can be used to handle ID card management and issuing. An additional feature enables the integration of ID card activation via mail into the process. This ensures that certain areas on the premises can be protected particularly.
Via the COCKPIT, your staff can see immediately who is where on the premises, which access rights have been granted and which employees are responsible for the respective visitors. Detailed evacuation lists are prepared in real-time with the people actually present, can be obtained and viewed at any time, and can be stored digitally for later access and control.
Data backup for effective tracking
In contrast to analogous visitor and logistics management, digital visitor management allows for uninterrupted tracking. In case of any problems regarding the hygiene and security process despite all security-related provisions, all activities can be reconstructed safely and easily, and sources of error can be identified effectively.
Access controls & sanctions list review
No access for unauthorized visitors
For critical infrastructures such as the food industry, it is often not sufficient to obtain the name and other data from visitors. To ensure the security of the company’s operations, you will need to obtain more detailed identity data. Also in this case, digital visitor management can be helpful. An identification document scanner is used to collect data directly at the reception kiosk and subject them to an authenticity check.
Digital visitor management enables sanctions list review in the food industry
With visitor management using VISIT, your security check even goes one important step further. Besides the authenticity check of identification documents, the visitor management system also provides an immediate comparison of any person’s data with relevant sanctions lists in order to guarantee 100 % security. If unauthorized people try to access your company premises, the software warns your security staff and enables quick responding.
Safety instructions in the food industry
Digitally transferring and testing knowledge
Besides access control and tracking of visitor data, the IFS Food Standard for the food industry also specifies that all employees as well as external staff must be trained on a regular basis with regard to security- and safety-related topics.
The visitor management software VISIT enables direct linkage of safety instructions with the digital registering process at the reception. The kiosk system can be used to digitally provide the instructions and ensure the information given is understood, and the data can be stored in an audit-proof way. The storage of the safety instructions is confirmed legally by means of a digital signature. Thanks to the multiple languages of the system, also foreign-language employees, guests, auditors or visitors can be received, instructed and tested in their respective native language.
The future of visitor management is digital
Investing in food safety now with VISIT
Get more information about the advantages of digital visitor and logistics management in the food industry now. Anything you need to know about VISIT as well as the functions and features of the application can be found here. Or directly contact our service staff. We will be happy to assist you!