Don’t Be Afraid to Get Dirty!

When a corporate food safety manager of a major U.S. food company recently announced his retirement, the company asked me and a few of my colleagues to write letters about him that would be read at his retirement party. As I thought about Bob and his 35+ years of dedication to the food industry, I realized there was a lot I could say about him. He had been chairman of an important food protection committee, participated with government regulators in various FDA and EPA initiatives, and assisted several associations in building better food safety programs. He had a distinguished food safety career with a great company that allowed him to work outside of the corporate world and share his skills and experience with the industry.

But the memory that stood out most in my mind was my very first experience working with him to solve an ongoing issue at a facility. While I have never been well dressed, Bob was what I would consider fashion conscious: pressed pants and shirt, nice shoes, stylish glasses, etc. Not exactly “work” clothing. When we met at the facility the first time, he looked as fashionable as always. We discussed our plans with the management team, then went to the locker room to change into whites and collect our tools.

When I returned to the meeting room, the first thing I noticed was his dress. Bob’s shirt was slightly stained on the back. All of the miracle chemicals the laundry facility had could not remove them. The knees of his pants were worn thin from crawling around looking where most don’t. His safety boots were worn square on the toe from years of dragging them across concrete floors while inspecting areas that generally go unseen. I quickly realized that he was, in fact, a true inspector.

My thoughts then turned to how many recent times I have worked with food safety managers and similarly titled facility representatives that were dressed as if they worked a desk job. Years ago, I doubted Bob’s ability to inspect until I saw the stained shirt, worn pants, and boots. I have the same impression today of many food plant managers. If they are not ready to get on their hands and knees to inspect the ins and outs of their facilities, how are they going to understand the issues that pop up day to day?

While all of the manuals, guides, and records in the office are important, it is equally important to have a physical presence in the plant, on the floor and overhead, to fully understand the issues that occur. It is difficult to understand a problem or potential problem if you don’t have an accurate picture of the situation.

I hope those responsible for food plant inspections are never afraid to get dirty. I never realized how stylish a stained shirt, worn pants, and squared-off safety boots could be! Hopefully the style catches on.



The author is Vice President of Food Safety Education, AIB International.