Food industry shows how to reduce work place injuries

9th October 2008, 10:48am

The causes of injuries in the workplace and practical ways to prevent them were the main themes discussed at this year’s ‘Back to Basics: Occupational Safety and Health in Food Manufacturing Conference’, which ends today at the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool.

Representatives from the Food and Drink Federation's (FDF) Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Committee spoke at the event with Jak Thomas, National Health and Safety Manager of Allied Bakeries and Chair of the OHS Committee, chairing day one of the event.

Jak also presented on managing the risks associated with machinery and processing plants.

Another member of FDF's OHS Committee, Dr Clive Harker - Occupational Physician at United Biscuits - will be presenting on occupational health priorities and stress in the workplace today.

Jak Thomas outlined the work of FDF's OHS Committee and said that a focal point of the Committee's work at present is the development of policy positions on people safety, process safety, property risk, occupational health and road risk; five key areas of risk management critical to the safety and wellbeing of people in the industry.

Dr Clive Harker will today outline the main occupational health priorities for food and drink manufacturing companies; namely asthma, back pain, mental health and work-related upper limb disorders. He will also cover the issue of stress and mental health in the work place.

Jak Thomas said: "The food and drink manufacturing sector has been working with the Health and Safety Executive, trade unions and other local and national bodies since 1990 to address the way health and safety is tackled by employers in our industry.

"This joint working has achieved remarkable success, with the injury rate falling by almost half in that time. This year's event has sought to address the work that still needs to be done to reduce incidences of work-related injury and ill-health in our sector, and identify practical ways to achieve this."

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