EXAMPLE SANITATION STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE – Color Coded Brushes and Buckets

INTRODUCTION
To prevent cross contamination, brushes and buckets used for cleaning are color coded according to use, and segregated by location.
 
MATERIALS
1. White, yellow, red, and black brushes
2. White and red buckets
3. Brush racks
4. Sanitizer
 
PROTOCOL
 
1. Specific color brushes are used for specific purposes.
a. White brushes are used with white buckets to clean pasteurized food contact surfaces.
b. Yellow brushes are used with white buckets to clean non-food contact surfaces.
c. Red brushes are used with red buckets to clean surfaces that contact raw milk.
d. Black brushes are used to clean floor drains.
 
2. Brushes are also segregated by location of use. Particular care is needed to insure that brushes and buckets used in the cultured products area are not used to clean equipment elsewhere in the production plant.
 
3. After every use brushes and buckets are rinsed with water and then with sanitizer.
 
4. When not in use, buckets are either hung on racks, or inverted and stored off the floor on racks or mats.

5. Each color of brush is stored separately. They are kept in racks which hold them off the floor.