Pet food safety is of utmost concern in the industry, and one of the major segments of scrutiny is manufacturing. Between ingredients, processes and people, there’s a lot to keep track of on a facility floor. The human element in particular is of significant concern to manufacturers, be it their physical or mental safety, or the ongoing need for training as labor challenges continue.
“The labor crunch is the root of many concerns in manufacturing right now,” said Dr. John Hanlin, vice president, RD&E, food safety for Ecolab, which offers water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services. “Many plants are understaffed because it’s so hard to find and retain workers. Other plants are understaffed because they’re trying to get ‘lean’ to cope with surging costs. Some plants are dealing with both of these challenges. Whatever the case, when you don’t have enough people, you don’t have enough time — and that can cause potential problems.”
