Ninety-six per cent of all injuries and occupational ill-health in food and drink manufacturing are caused by the following:
- machinery
- workplace transport
- work at height
- entry into silos and confined spaces
- slips and trips
- struck by objects and knives
- manual handling
- upper limb disorders
- occupational dermatitis
- occupational asthma
- noise-induced hearing loss
- work-related stress
Managing these 12 key issues in your company will significantly reduce injuries, ill-health and the associated costs.
You will need to take positive action to achieve continuous improvement to health and safety performance. Concentrating on these key topics will maximise that improvement.
of workplace risks. European Union Occupational Health Agency
survey 2014
Effective management of health and safety makes good
business sense
A number of major multi-site food and drink processing and distribution companies have assessed the full cost of accidents. This includes both the hidden and insured costs of all incidents. The results indicate that the true recoverable cost of accidents is an area that needs and justifies control. The same circumstances which caused injury also created production losses, quality and cost problems.
For many businesses, where margins are very tight, profits can depend on the control of costs – including loss from health and safety incidents – just as much as increased sales or higher prices.
Why positive action is needed
HSE research indicates that positive steps by management could have prevented injury in about 70% of incidents, and action by workers a further 10%.
Effective management of work-related safety and health is good for business. Many companies have embedded this argument in the development of their health and safety policies and culture.
The added value comes from both ends of the balance sheet – reduced costs as well as higher efficiencies, productivity and profit. It is not just about the cost of claims and replacement labour, it is about the whole economic well-being of the business, as well as trust and reputation.
How Centurion Alba supports health and safety improvement in the food and drinks manufacturing sector
Centurion Alba’s Chartered Safety & Health Practitioners and Process Safety Engineers have substantial experience working within and advising businesses in the food and drink manufacturing sector.
We have the capacity and expertise to deliver a range of client-focussed and bespoke health and safety solutions, matching the exact needs of your organisation.
We can work with your staff to ensure that your organisation is:
- making the workplace safe and without risks to health.
- ensuring that plant and machinery are safe and that safe systems of work are established and followed.
- keeping dust, fumes and noise under control
- ensuring that articles and substances are stored, moved and used safely.
- providing adequate welfare facilities
- giving employees the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary for their health and safety.
- providing (free of charge) protective clothing or equipment required by law.
- reporting certain injuries diseases and dangerous occurrences to the HSE.
- providing adequate first aid facilities.
- consulting a safety representative (or worker representative), if one has been appointed, about matters affecting employees’ health and safety.
- setting up a safety committee if asked to do so by safety representatives.
We can also help with:
Strategy Development
We work with your leadership to agree and promote a health and safety improvement strategy for the workplace; giving clear guidance
on how to tackle relevant high-level health and safety issues via sensible and proportionate risk management solutions.
Management Systems
Our practitioners are experienced in the development, implementation and ongoing review of Occupational Safety & Health Management Systems such as ISO 45001:2018. Management Systems help organisations to manage their risks and improve their performance by developing and implementing effective policies, procedures and objectives.
Change & Project Safety
Introducing health and safety initiatives is essentially about change management. Carrying out effective change is often very difficult, if you do not involve those to be effected by the change process in the change process, you are doomed to failure. We can help you navigate periods of change and help you stay on target and on message.
Workplace Inspections
Employers have a moral obligation as well as a legal duty to provide a safe place of work. Centurion Alba works with employers to guide them towards statutory compliance and industry best practice. We have experience in machinery safety, hazardous substances, work at height and workplace transport safety.
Safety Climate & Wellbeing
We work with organisations to observe, measure, analyse and improve their health and safety culture and safety climate. We’re also able to help you implement applicable standards such as the new ‘ISO 45003 Managing Psychosocial risks in the workplace‘ standard.
Accident/Incident Investigation
Health and safety investigations will provide you with a deeper understanding of the risks associated with your work activities. Blaming individuals is ultimately fruitless and sustains the myth that accidents and cases of ill health are unavoidable when the opposite is true.
Talk to us today
John Watt CMIOSH MIET MInstLM
Chartered Safety & Health Practitioner
John is Centurion Alba’s founder and Managing Director. Before moving into health & safety as a full-time role John worked for companies including McVities and General Mills in Project Management & Engineering roles. John is passionate about building practical and proportionate health and safety solutions and helping organisations improve their safety culture.
Working with clients large and small across many sectors:
