 Home Health and Safety Health and Safety News
Main safety risks in food industry
28 March 2008
The HSE has released a graph showing the main causes of accidents in food and drink manufacture for 2006/2007. The figures reinforce the importance of the ongoing Recipe for Safety campaign.
The figures show that manual handling caused just over a third of injuries. Slips and trips accounted for 28% and being struck by falling objects 12%. Three main causes are therefore responsible for 75% of accidents. And all three causes are preventable by good health and safety management. The other signifcant injury risks such as contact with machinery and exposure to harmful substances are also preventable.
Other figures from the HSE show that the Recipe for Safety campaign, which is supported by HSE, by employers' organisations and by the unions in the industry, is having a significant effect. There has been a 50% reduction in accident rates in the 15 years since the campaign was introduced. However accident rates are still higher than the average for manufactuirng industry. The new chart shows that the basic message of the Recipe for Safety campaign is still valid. The majority of accidents are caused by a few simple problems that can be prevented if management and workers get together and focus on the main risks.
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