When it comes to food manufacturing, maintaining the highest levels of hygiene and safety is non-negotiable, and glass contamination in food production is one of the most serious hazards among the many potential risks.
In facilities where glass windows, doors or skylights are present, the risk of glass contamination in food production is much higher – but there is an effective and often overlooked solution: Window Film.
In this blog, we’ll explore how Window Films can prevent glass contamination and why Glass Retention Window Films are ideal for improving safety as well as providing additional benefits for food manufacturing facilities.
Understanding the risks of glass contamination in food production
Glass contamination occurs when glass fragments enter the food production environment, posing a significant health hazard.
Glass windows or skylights in food production facilities can break for a whole variety of reasons, such as impact, extreme temperature changes, or natural disasters.
When glass shatters, fragments can enter food production areas, contaminating ingredients, equipment, or finished products, with consequences such as product recalls, financial losses, and reputational damage.
In the food industry, regulatory bodies such as the Food Standards Agency, the British Retail Consortium, and the Health and Safety Executive set out stringent controls to mitigate the risk of glass contamination in food production. One recommended control method is the use of Window Films.
What are Window Films?
A Window Film is a thin, multi-layered polyester material applied to glass surfaces.
Window Films enhance the strength and durability of the glass, preventing it from shattering into small, dangerous fragments.
These Window Films are typically transparent and don’t interfere with visibility, but they can also be created to various specifications including tints, UV protection, heat insulation, and privacy enhancement.
At Sureguard Window Films®, all our Window Films are all made from biaxially-oriented PET.
This means that during its manufacture, the polyester is stretched in two directions to give it incredible strength and clarity.
We provide Window Films to a variety of specifications depending on the project’s requirements, you can read more about the different uses of Window Films later in this blog.
How Window Films Prevent Glass Contamination
There are a number of ways in which Window Films can improve food manufacturing environments and prevent glass contamination in food production.
1. Creating a shatter-resistant barrier
The primary way that Window Films can prevent glass contamination in food production is by acting as a shatter-resistant barrier.
In the event of glass breakage, the Window Film holds the shards together preventing them from scattering into production areas.
This containment effectively reduces the risk of contamination and ensures that broken glass is easier to clean up without spreading debris.
The containment of glass shards also ensures that in the event of breakage, the risk of injury to employees is much reduced, and the overall safety of the facility is not jeopardised.
2. Ensuring regulatory compliance
Installation of Window Film helps food manufacturers to comply with food safety standards.
Organisations like the British Retail Consortium (BRCGS) set out Global Standards for Food Safety, which are highly recognised certification programs used by food manufacturers to meet legal requirements and ensure food safety.
The BRC Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 mandates that food production facilities must have strict controls in place to prevent glass contamination.
Specific recommendations include glass breakage procedures that ensure immediate containment, and the use of protective barriers such as Window Films to prevent glass shards from entering the production environment.
Companies which install Window Films to prevent glass contamination in food production demonstrate a proactive approach to safety whilst adhering to the regulations required to them, which can also aid them in audits and inspections.
3. Providing cost-effective protection
Of course, one way to prevent glass contamination in food production would be to replace all glass windows and doors with plastic or acrylic alternatives, but this is an expensive solution that could also compromise visibility and durability.
Applying Window Film is a more cost-effective way to protect against contamination without needing to replace existing windows or sacrifice the facility’s design. Window Films also reduce the need for frequent inspections or repairs due to glass damage.
4. Enhancing durability
Window Films increase the durability of glass, making it more resistant to impact.
In a fast-paced food production environment where accidents can happen, such as equipment bumping into windows, Window Films help ensure the glass remains intact, reducing the risk of breakage in the first place.
What’s so good about glass retention Window Film?
At Sureguard® Window Films we’re proud to supply and install glass retention Window Films, which give dependable protection without compromising on aesthetics.
Glass retention Window Films give a crystal-clear, scratch resistant and UV-shielding barrier so that your windows stay optically clear whilst preventing damage to you, your employees, and your property.
We supply and install glass retention Window Films on both internal or external windows, dependent on which side of the glass would provide the highest risk of falling glass in the event of a breakage – our records show 10 years for internal and 7 years for external, both oh which are covered by a manufacturers back warranty.
We also supply and install 100-micron Safety Window Film and 175-micron Security Anti-Shatter Window Film and can provide all these Window Films to a variety of specifications to suit your project and budget.
Glass retention Window Films are also perfect for minimising the risks associated with spontaneous glass breakage, which we wrote about in last month’s blog.
Contact Sureguard® Window Films about preventing glass contamination in food production settings
Glass contamination is a serious threat in food manufacturing facilities, but it is one that can be effectively mitigated with the use of glass retention Window Films.
By preventing glass from shattering into small, hazardous fragments, glass retention Window Films safeguard food products, protect workers, and help facilities comply with safety regulations.
If you’re interested in taking this proactive step towards creating a safer and more efficient production environment, talk to Sureguard® Window Films today on 03300 881 051.
We’re experts in Window Film, with 40 years’ experience and a loyal customer base to prove it.
We’d love to hear from you about glass retention Window Film, so get in contact today and let’s help you to prevent glass contamination in food production at your facility.
