By James Davis of OSI Group
Factory food safety begins with strong sanitation programs—and strong programs start with capable leaders. The people leading those efforts can be the difference between a safe product and a costly recall.
Implementation of a comprehensive onboarding program designed to equip new facility sanitation leaders with the knowledge, tools and experience required to manage sanitation programs in high-stakes food production environments is thus critical to continuously achieving food safety goals.
An effective onboarding approach must blend policy and program education, hands-on training and strategic alignment. The goal? Operational consistency, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement—no matter the facility.
The why behind the program
Food processors operate in a space where regulatory scrutiny is high, labor turnover is real and the risks of inconsistency across facilities cannot be ignored. Taking a hard look at how sanitation leaders are onboarded at the factory of hire and developing a program that closes identified gaps timely are crucial parts of a successful operation.
Sanitation roles are often filled by individuals with varied experiences—some with previous technical training, others promoted from within. And while simple on-the-job learning has its place, the complexity of modern food safety systems, sanitation, hygienic design and compliance frameworks demands more.
As with many food processors, we at OSI Group observe that inconsistent onboarding can potentially lead to inconsistent results—variation in program execution, gaps in knowledge and inefficiencies in development. Standardizing the experience, scaling best practices and closing gaps from day one became a strategic focus within our organization.
The ultimate objective is to give every new sanitation leader the same foundation, whether they come from a sanitation background or not, and regardless of which one of the manufacturing facilities they are stepping into.
Strategic approach to sanitation leadership onboarding
The sanitation leadership onboarding program our organization implemented spans approximately six months and is divided into five core elements, described below and illustrated in Figure 1. These elements can run concurrently, where appropriate, but each serves a specific purpose in building a well-rounded, effective facility sanitation leader.
1. General Administrative Activities: Within the first week, each new facility sanitation leader is set up for access to key systems—email, software platforms, inventory tools, documentation libraries. They are also introduced to essential departments like engineering, maintenance, food safety and operations. This early integration builds relationships to foster team building and coordination in the future.
2. Background Knowledge & Experience Level Evaluation: Also within the first week, the direct manager, in collaboration with the Zone Sanitarian, evaluate the leader’s knowledge in a variety of key topics, such as sanitation execution, food safety, hygienic design and regulatory requirements. The results of this evaluation shape a custom knowledge development plan to ensure critical competencies are addressed while building upon previous experiences.
3. Corporate Sanitation & Food Safety Programs: Over the course of a month, facility sanitation leaders, under the guidance of the Zone Sanitarian, review key global food safety and sanitation programs and policies to which they will be expected to execute in the future, including an introduction to risk assessment and performance metrics. The expectation is questions, discussions and active engagement – not merely casual reading.
4. Facility Sanitation & Food Safety Programs: Leaders engage with their colleagues to review the physical factory layout, any historical challenges, previous audit results and local sanitation program documentation. They also meet directly with various sanitation-related vendors and contract sanitation providers to understand site-specific dynamics. A key understanding of the whole picture of sanitation operations at the facility is emphasized before diving into specific actions.
5. Key Role Responsibilities: The final element focuses on ownership. Clearly defining daily responsibilities, reporting expectations, performance metrics and meeting cadence is essential. Leaders are expected to begin monitoring and analyzing sanitation metrics early in their onboarding and participate in business reviews and operational planning. Where contract sanitation is in use, detailed guidance for oversight, documentation review and contractor performance evaluation are provided.
Creating a knowledge development program
Where gaps are identified in key competencies during the background assessment, leaders are expected to complete tailored internal and external (e.g., HACCP, EHEDG, 3-A modules) coursework, attend workshops and then apply what they have learned directly on the floor. This may include performing functions of the hourly sanitors as a learning experience should they not have direct experience in the type of cleaning undertaken at the facility (e.g., wet sanitation).
Examples of key focus areas that are emphasized include, but are not limited to, the following:
* Sanitation Chemistry: Leaders are trained in chemical selection, application methods, inventory management and performance validation. They are expected to understand the physical differences between chemistries, compatibility with materials and how to effectively work with vendors to manage chemical systems effectively.
* Sanitation Execution: This includes hands-on training in the seven steps of wet sanitation, proper use of personal protective equipment, selection of cleaning tools and how to clean various equipment types—from conveyors to vertical packaging machines. Leaders observe and then perform these tasks, progressing through increasing complexity under the guidance of the Zone Sanitarian.
* Automated Sanitation Processes (ACS, CIP): Leaders are trained on system design, operation, troubleshooting, validation and verification. They are also coached on best-practices to guide and evaluate competency among sanitation team members.
* Hygienic Design: Leaders complete subject matter expert (SME) level training, enabling them to assess risks, evaluate mitigations and suggest improvements to equipment and infrastructure construction.
* Food Safety: Leaders receive targeted food safety training and are expected to interpret environmental monitoring data, understand shelf-life implications and participate in root cause investigations if challenges arise.
* Program Management: Leaders are coached on how to manage an effective and efficient sanitation program: scheduling routine and non-routine tasks, evaluating sanitation staff, managing budgets and setting strategic goals tied to food safety and operational performance.
Each component of the knowledge development program includes verification by the direct manager and Zone Sanitarian. The sanitation leader does not just check a box - they must demonstrate competency for future success in their role.
Conclusion
An effective facility sanitation leadership onboarding program goes beyond simple checklists. It focuses on embedding a culture of sanitation excellence from day one. By combining technical training, policy education and leadership expectations, a successful onboarding program sets the standard for how sanitation leadership should be developed, supported and measured in the food processing industry.
As facilities face stricter compliance standards and ongoing labor turnover, investing in structured onboarding training for sanitation leadership is not just smart—it is essential.
James Davis is Senior Director of Global Sanitation at OSI Group (www.osigroup.com), an $8 billion sales global supplier of custom, value-added food products to the world’s leading foodservice and retail food brands. James leads the company efforts in sanitation and hygienic design of equipment and facilities, with emphasis on food safety risk management. He’s also a member of Food Processing’s Editorial Advisory Board.
