In recent years, personal hygiene has become an increasingly important topic in greenhouse horticulture. After all, it is extremely important to keep unwanted micro-organisms outside. To achieve this, a clear protocol for hand hygiene is essential.
The greenhouse horticulture sector is increasingly having to contend with the danger of bacteria, viruses and mould, which can cause diseases in crops. Having a disease in the greenhouse has major commercial and thus financial consequences. Combating a disease in the greenhouse naturally incurs high costs. In most cases, it isn’t even possible to do so successfully. That means the end of your crop, which is obviously disastrous for you as a business person.
Infection via people, material and water
Bacteria and viruses enter a greenhouse via people, materials such as crates, and via the spray water. You can take various hygiene measures to avoid this. For example, cleaning the water that is used in the greenhouse, cleaning incoming crates (or the crates in which the products are transported and stored) and ensuring the good personal hygiene of employees and visitors.
Hand hygiene
An important aspect of personal hygiene in greenhouse horticulture is hand hygiene. After all, employees frequently come into contact with the crops with their hands. They should wash their hands with warm water and liquid soap when arriving at and leaving the business. It is also important to wash the hands before and after entering the various areas of the business – the greenhouse, canteen and toilet.
If you make use of a turnstile that only opens once the hands have been washed then good hand hygiene is guaranteed. If you do not have a turnstile then it is important that your employees have sufficient discipline to wash their hands well. It is especially important that they are aware of the importance of good hand hygiene and also of the possible consequences of not washing their hands well, giving bacteria and viruses a chance to enter the greenhouses.
Hand disinfection
After washing the hands, the hands must be disinfected with the right hand disinfectant. Bacteria and viruses on the skin of people are killed with a disinfectant containing alcohol. Specific disinfectants are necessary to kill plant viruses. By choosing the correct disinfectant, you can keep plant diseases such as Clavibacter at bay.
Hygiene Selector
Do you also want to comply with the guidelines of the Global GAP? Then take an important step by installing a hygiene lock. Do you want to know which hygiene lock layout best suits your business? Then fill in the Hygiene Selector. The areas your hygiene lock must satisfy are simply explained in five steps, directly followed by tailored, no-obligation advice.
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