A key function of the Health and Safety Executive’s Field Operations Directorate is to publish guidance and advice for industry to ensure that risks to people’s health and safety at work are properly controlled.  HSE’s Food and Entertainment Sector is responsible for all food and drink manufacturers and System Concepts has undertaken several projects for the sector to assist in the publication of some of its latest guidelines.

Thorough examination of the key issues and accurate research are vital and System Concepts’ expertise has been commissioned to collect data on some of the main causes of injury and ill-health, such as manual handling and noise, in the food and drink industry.

Manual handling accounts for 30% of injuries, and musculoskeletal injuries, such as work related upper limb disorders, carry some of the main occupational health risks.  The main activities for concern are the lifting and stacking of containers, handling drinks containers, cutting and boning of meat and poultry, pushing wheeled racks and packing goods.

System Concepts carried out extensive research in this area to provide information for the latest publication ‘Moving Food and Drink – manual handling solutions for the food and drink industries’ (HSG 196).

One of the consultancy’s strengths is its extensive network of contacts in the food and drink industry which proved invaluable in uncovering the main risk areas and identifying solutions.  The team collected one hundred case studies from the food and drink industries which were published in the guidance.

These case studies demonstrated practical solutions to a wide range of manual handling problems and will help industry further reduce both chronic and acute injuries arising from manual handling and repetitive tasks.

More detailed analysis was then conducted into sack handling which was published in the HSE’s latest guidance ‘Reducing injuries caused by sack handling in the food and drink industries’ (Food Information Sheet No. 31).

Manual handling of sacks is carried out extensively in the food and drink industries and is one of the main causes of musculoskeletal injury. 

It is estimated that two-thirds of food and drink companies have at least some employees carrying out sack handling.  Operations involving sack handling include unloading shipping containers, stacking within warehouses, transporting within factories, tipping into hoppers or sieves and offloading from production lines. 

System Concepts conducted extensive research of sack handling techniques and provided guidance on best practice for manual handling which was then published in the information sheet.

Noise-induced hearing loss, resulting from persistent exposure to high noise levels, is also a key concern in the food and drink industries, and System Concepts has undertaken research in this area for the HSE’s forthcoming guidance on noise due to be published later this year.

The team produced an initial report on the general problem of noise – which is due to be published separately – and then collected 60 case studies identifying problems and solutions.
 
Tanya Heasman of System Concepts explained, “The case studies for both manual handling and noise look at problems experienced by ‘real’ companies and how they have been resolved and so provide pragmatic and immediately useful recommendations for the industry.”

Richard Morgan, HM Principal Inspector of Factories commented, “Our key functions are to agree health and safety standards with industry, to gather intelligence, develop strategies, monitor performance and carry out research so that ultimately, we can safeguard health and safety across the food and drink industries.

“System Concepts has demonstrated extensive knowledge in the food and drink industries and has delivered thorough, useful research, completed on budget and on time, which has proved invaluable in the publication of several key guidance documents.”