Prevention of Coronavirus entering and spreading into Manufacturing

sites during Covid-19 pandemic

Scope
Areas in scope are:
• Manufacturing areas
• Non-manufacturing areas

This document gives specific guidance for the manufacturing of Home Care, Beauty & Personal Care,
Food & Refreshment products. It supports the reduction (prevention) of the risk of cross contamination
from coronavirus in Manufacturing sites as well as in products.

Additionally, the document also explains the principles of prevention of Coronavirus contamination in
non-manufacturing areas.

This document is intended to highlight hygiene measures which manufacturing sites need to have in
place are described in much more detail in relevant Unilever GMP’s, Standards and Guidelines. The
mandatory requirements described in those documents are applicable as normal.

Not in scope
Occupational (SHE) requirements to prevent the risk of human to human transmission (e.g. social
distancing, temperature measurements of people at the entrance of factories). For more information,
see the Sharepoint link in below appendix from the global Incident Management Team (IMT)

What is Covid-19, Coronavirus and Sars-CoV-2?

• Coronaviruses are a group of viruses causing disease in mammals and birds. It was first
recovered in 1930 when identification techniques became available. Viruses cannot grow
outside a host (e.g. Coronavirus in the respiratory tract in human)
• COVID-19 is the name of the pandemic disease that is currently affecting many countries
worldwide. Transmission goes primarily from human to human.
• SARS-CoV-2 is the name of the virus causing COVID-19. It belongs to the coronavirus family. This
virus is often referred to simply as ‘coronavirus’ or ‘COVID-19 virus.

Introduction
For simplicity reasons, throughout this document the word ‘coronavirus’ is mentioned. Below described
hygiene requirements however are also relevant for other micro-organisms, e.g. pathogenic bacteria,
spoilage causing bacteria, yeasts, moulds, all other viruses (e.g. Noro virus) as well as parasites (e.g.
Cryptosporidium).

The document is intended to be short and specific to give clarity on what and how to best maintain
hygiene focusing but not limited to Coronavirus. A lists of key hygiene precautions that must be in place
to prevent Coronavirus entering or spreading on site is given. The applicable GMP’s, Standards and
guidelines gives a full overview of hygiene requirements.

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 The document is split into ‘Manufacturing Areas’ and ‘Other Areas’ (e.g. offices, reception areas,
canteens, restrooms). As mentioned, below key points have not the intention to be complete, it is
intended to list the key requirements during this Coronavirus pandemic. These requirements remain
applicable after the pandemic crisis, as these are key requirements that need to be always in place.

Appendix 1 gives links to expert reviewed documents as well as Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s).

Manufacturing Areas
From various Unilever internal documents and external international (scientific) documentation, it is
well known that – at this moment in time – there are no indications that potential product
contamination by Coronavirus can result in infection and illness of humans.

At the same time the risk of Coronavirus contamination to products need to be kept in control. This
comes primarily from health screening, hygiene, housekeeping and cleaning & disinfection. For this
reason, the following key requirements need to be in place:

Obsoletes
• Any obsolete materials and equipment must be removed from any manufacturing area to
facilitate general housekeeping and makes cleaning and disinfection easier and more effective.

Materials used in production

• When materials are not required for production (anymore), relocate all to storage areas. This
will facilitate cleaning and disinfection and therefore contributing to reduce the risk of
Coronavirus cross contamination.

How links cleaning with disinfection

• Cleaning is the removal of for example soil, product residues and to some extend also will
remove some micro-organisms including viruses.
• Disinfection is intended to kill bacteria, yeasts, moulds and inactivates viruses, including
Coronavirus.
• Disinfection will only be effective when no visible particles are present anymore (micro-
organisms can ‘hide’ in product residues and dirt, hence unreachable for disinfectants).
• Disinfection can be done by heat or by chemicals. Both is not needed as an ‘additional’ safety
precaution (then the first killing step is not effective, so why should the second be?).

Cleaning and disinfection parameters

• Cleaning detergents to be used as recommended by cleaning chemical suppliers (e.g. follow
label instructions as defined by our partners in cleaning Diversey and Ecolab). There is no need
to increase concentrations to address the Coronavirus. See Sharepoint link in the appendix.
• Disinfectants to be used at recommended concentrations. The high-end range recommended
concentration of disinfectants may be considered.
• Disinfection times as recommended by our partners in cleaning Diversey or Ecolab. Extremely
long exposure times does not add value. When disinfection times are unknown, 10 minutes is
overall considered as effective.

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 • It is not recommended to leave disinfectants on a surface without rinsing as this may brings a
toxicological risk above the Coronavirus risk of disinfected surfaces (although sometimes this is
mentioned by the disinfectant supplier)

What to clean and disinfect

• Production lines must be cleaned and disinfected following the existing rules from GMP’s and
Standards and using guidance available. There is no need to do differently because of the
Coronavirus. Cleaning and disinfection always include virus risk elimination/reduction.
• High frequency touchpoints when in use, particularly when touched by different employees,
need hourly cleaning and disinfection. Touch points by a single individual can be cleaned and
disinfected at a lower frequency.
• Cleaning and disinfection tanks and associated pipes, pumps require cleaning and disinfection
as normal and indicated in applicable GMP’s, Standards and Guidelines.
• Cleaning utensils require cleaning, disinfection and drying as normal.

Frequency of cleaning and disinfection

• The manufacturing environment cleaning and disinfection frequency may be increased during
the Coronavirus pandemic, e.g. twice per shift (only screened employees are expected to be
working in the factory, so in the rare event that asymptomatic employees are present the risk
of cross contamination is further reduced).
• Process lines requires current cleaning and disinfection frequencies.

Cleaning while producing

• There is no different approach required for cleaning and disinfection of one line when another
process line is in production because of the Coronavirus risks. As always great care must be
taken to prevent cross contamination from micro-organisms (including viruses) as well as
allergens, physical particles and possible cleaning chemicals.

Wet cleaning & disinfection

• Cleaning in Place (CIP) – Execute as defined in existing GMP’s, Standards and included in local
procedures (it is assumed that 12-steps cleaning & disinfection validation is successfully
executed and implemented)
• Cleaning Out of Place (COP) – Same as above: Execute as defined in existing GMP’s, Standards
and included in local procedures (it is assumed that 12-steps cleaning & disinfection validation
was successfully executed and implemented)
• Dry cleaning and disinfection – Same as above: Execute as defined in existing GMP’s, Standards
and included in local procedures (it is assumed that 12-steps cleaning & disinfection validation
was successfully executed and implemented)
o Use of brushes, wipers, vacuum cleaners (no air blowing as this will spread
contamination over a wider area, potentially including people).
o Disinfection by using disinfectant impregnated tissues or direct spray.
• Environmental cleaning – Execute environmental cleaning and disinfection in great detail. This
includes but is not limited to:
o Racks and any other constructions in the manufacturing area and all supporting areas.
This also includes stairs and platforms.

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 o Cleaning and disinfection include underside and backside as appropriate (i.e. the not
directly visible surfaces).
o Control rooms and any other areas being part of the manufacturing area (general,
standard, enhanced and high care).
o Outside of vessels, pumps, pipework, floors, and wall.
o Drains not containing visible debris, cleaned following normal frequency, disinfected
when indicated in GMP’s or when a factory risk assessment defined this.
• There is no need to increase cleaning and disinfection concentrations and times because viruses
are always in scope of these activities.

Air conditioning and air handling systems

• Air conditioning and air handling systems need to be cleaned and disinfected following normal
frequency, prior visible dirt build up.
• There is not a specific additional Coronavirus risk coming from these air handling systems, nor
from the cleaning and disinfection activities of those systems.
• Any disposable filters to be discarded in closed plastic bags meeting local waste handling
procedures requirements. Reusable filters to be cleaned, disinfected and dried as normal.

Not recommended activities

• It is strongly discouraged to do any fogging, misting of manufacturing areas, storage and
warehouses. This will not eliminate the Coronavirus risk. Additionally, any disinfectant will not
penetrate dirt, dust, product residues etc.

Office Areas
General
General social distancing and mouth masks usage is out of scope of this document. Follow Unilever
and/or country regulation; most strict applies.

Offices and meeting rooms

• Office areas to be cleaned as normal.
• Occasionally underside of desks, tables, chairs may be cleaned. Include curtains, luxaflex etc.
and devices to open/close.
• It is recommended to disinfect intensively touched surfaces such as, but not limited to:
o Table-tops, arm rests, keyboards, touch screens, printer devices, (light) switches, (glass)
panels other than windows.
o Markers and wipers for whiteboards and other desk materials.
• Preferably use disposable cleaning utensils. For other cleaning utensils ensure effective cleaning
and drying. No specific need to disinfect cleaning utensils unless indicated by country specific
Regulation.
• Vacuum cleaning collection bags to be removed carefully in the outside environment with the
wind in the back. Collection bags to be discarded in a separate closed plastic bag.

Corridors, Reception areas, stairs, lifts

• Identify traffic of people. Cleaning to follow normal frequency, but always before dirt is visible.
• Direction for disinfection frequency:

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 o When heavy traffic cleaning and disinfection on hourly basis.
o When light traffic, every 4 hours cleaning and disinfection is enough.
• Special attention points for disinfection:
o Light switches, door handles, fixed phones, pens, handrails, reception desks.
• Reception desks may be (more) isolated by implementing glass/plastic screens.
• Distance marked signs on floors as appropriate. This includes lifts with signaling to maintain
social distancing (reduce the number of people allowed in the lifts).

Air conditioning and air handling systems

• Air conditioning and air handling systems need to be cleaned and disinfected following normal
frequency, prior visible dirt build up.
• There is not a specific additional Coronavirus risk coming from these air handling systems, nor
from the cleaning and disinfection activities of those systems.
• Any disposable filters to be discarded in closed plastic bags meeting local waste handling
procedures requirements. Reusable filters to be cleaned and disinfected as normal.

Restrooms and showers

• In restrooms and shower areas there is not a specific additional Coronavirus risk (apart from
limiting the number of people at the same time).
• Cleaning and disinfection as normal for the toilet itself, floors, walls and sink. Same for shower
rooms.
• Heavily touchpoints such as light switches, press button to flush the toilet, doorknobs, press
buttons for (paper) towels and air blowers, water taps to be cleaned and disinfected on hourly
basis, unless human ‘traffic’ is limited.
• Fabric towels must not be used and replaced for paper towels in rest rooms.

Canteens

Eating Area
• To be cleaned and disinfected after each break, as normal (e.g. lunch break). This includes:
o Table-tops, chairs, service counters, handwash stations, press buttons of soap
dispensers, disinfectants.
• When the canteen is in continuous operation, isolate areas to be cleaned and disinfected while
keeping other areas in operation.
• Intermittently disinfection between 2 employees of the specific eating location.
• Utensils (plates, fork, spoon knife, chop sticks cups, trays)
o Collect as normal.
o Ensure regular hand washing and disinfection.

Kitchen
• Personal hygiene to be fully in place (for details see UQP23 and UQG2301). This includes but is
not limited to:
o Clean cloths and hair cover as normal.
o Regular hand washing using soap and warm running water and use of disinfectants after
hand washing (not replacing).
o Wearing mouth masks.
• Ingredients and product to be handled and used as normal.

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 • All utensils, baskets, plates, bowls etc. to be cleaned and disinfected preferably using a machine
dish washer (see also below ‘Washing Area’) prior cooking activities.
• Cook food as normal, wash fruit and vegetables as normal. Clean hands as indicated above
between different activities as normal.
• Hourly clean and disinfect buttons, switches etc. when used by different persons. When
operated by one single person, frequency can be reduced.

Dish washing area

• Use dishwashers when available at 60dC or above using branded detergents. Ensure complete
drying of cleaned utensils, including the machine dish washer itself.
• Include trays in cleaning and disinfection.
• Maintain and keep the dishwash machine clean.
• For manual cleaning, use warm water and branded dish wash liquids, regularly refresh wash
water. Best is to use various basins for the different cleaning and decontamination stages
o (e.g. removal of cross soil → pre-rinse → cleaning with dishwash solution → post rinse
→ decontamination by hot water (>60dC for 2 min → drain → dry).
o If no decontamination step with hot water is possible, consider application of 0.1%
hypochlorite followed by thoroughly rinsing with fresh running water, drain and dry
o Cleaning utensils to be kept clean and dry when not in use.

END

Frank Pieterman – Global Quality

Fabiana Guglielmone – Global Quality
Silvia Klamert – SEAC
Paul Barret – SEAC

20 April 2020

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 Appendix 1 – Useful links

Because of the rapid changing of information, only links are listed below, not specific documents.

Link to Covid19 Quality Expertise Support Centre

https://unilever.sharepoint.com/sites/QualityExpertiseSupportCentre

Link to Coronavirus SEAC Risk Assessments and Position Statements

https://unilever.sharepoint.com/teams/SEAC/Chatter%20File%20Store/Forms/AllItems.aspx?viewid=50
3bfbcc%2Da426%2D47a8%2Db25e%2D287c21a74b56&id=%2Fteams%2FSEAC%2FChatter%20File%20St
ore%2FCoronavirus

Link to approved cleaning and disinfection chemicals, concentrations and contact times by Diversey
and Ecolab
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/file/06AC8FA4-97AD-43BA-8BF5-04383D91A5CF?tenantId=f66fae02-
5d36-495b-bfe0-
78a6ff9f8e6e&fileType=xlsx&objectUrl=https%3A%2F%2Funilever.sharepoint.com%2Fsites%2FQualit
yExpertiseSupportCentre%2FShared%20Documents%2FGeneral%2FOverview%20Disinfectant%20Div
erseyEcolab-
V3.xlsx&baseUrl=https%3A%2F%2Funilever.sharepoint.com%2Fsites%2FQualityExpertiseSupportCent
re&serviceName=teams&threadId=19:4debbfb56dbb42238a0d9b9f86879e18@thread.tacv2&groupI
d=5e5bff5f-bf12-4515-83d6-048ed0d4f2f3

Incident Management Team (IMT)

https://unilever.sharepoint.com/:f:/r/sites/SupplyChain/Security/IncidentManagementDocs/2019%20N
ovel%20Coronavirus/Sanitising%20and%20disinfection?csf=1&web=1

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