How do I improve my audit score?


Feedback from international audit trends shows that over 60% of non-compliance issues are attributed to housekeeping standards and the care of manufacturing and hygiene tools. If you can account for all your tools at the end of a shift, guarantee that no equipment has moved between zones and demonstrate that you have followed best practice around these issues, you’re more likely to receive a good score from auditors.


If, like most food processing companies in NZ, you are somewhere along the line of implementing a lean manufacturing or continuous improvement culture, then you should seriously consider the benefits of what colour coding and correct equipment storage can do for your factory.

Fibreclean Shadow Boards are widely used to help achieve 5S and HACCP goals in industry and food production. Designed to store and organise your tools in a very visual way, making it quick and easy to find them when you need them. Apart from pleasing auditors, you’ll stop wasting time and money as staff search for missing and often damaged tools, which they then have to replace, as well as reduce the potential of a foreign-matter incident.

As shadow boards are customised to your requirements, your quality standards and brand message can be displayed in a highly visible way to staff, auditors and customers. The graphics are direct printed onto extremely durable composite board (that has zero moisture absorption), then coated in an anti-scuff laminate, which has been tested to withstand the cleaning chemicals and wash-down pressures commonly used in the food industry. These boards are easy to clean and have easy to remove hooks and metal components, which are made of heavy-duty stainless steel. Highly recommended for high hygiene areas where there can be no hidden or hard-to-access areas where moisture, bacteria or food residue can accumulate.

Colour coded cleaning equipment is having a dramatic impact on minimising contamination, with the added benefit of food processing plants looking super organised. Fibreclean hygiene tools come in a range of 11 colours, which can be used in your factory to identify zones and reduce the risk of contamination. Shadow boards will clearly identify what colour zone you’re in.

If you haven’t implemented a colour coding system to minimise contamination then talk to us about a FREE full site assessment. After the assessment we will provide a tailored report listing the different areas of your factory, the category zone within that area and the cleaning tools in their respective colours that we recommend.

Another positive outcome from a colour coding system has been greater pride in the equipment by staff. Use the popular 5S model – sort, straighten, shine, standardise and sustain.

Blue no_Artboard 35
blue yes_Artboard 34

THE 5S's

1. Sort

Identify all tools and eliminate what is not required. Everything else is stored or discarded

2. Straighten

Arrange tools in such a way that the most used items are the easiest and quickest to locate. 

3. Shine

Clean the workspace and tools, keep it clean, tidy and organised.

4. Standardise

All work stations for a particular job should be identical, with the same tools at each location.

5. Sustain

Maintain and review standards. Maintain focus on this new way. Do not allow a gradual decline.