In a July feature, David Shorrock examines the issue of musculoskeletal problems in the food industry. He outlines current regulations and tools employers can utlise to assess the risks to their workforce and avoid heavy fines.
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are responsible for millions of lost working days, and the injury rate in the food and drink manufacturing sector is double the manufacturing average. Enforcement rates by HSE relating to MSDs remain low, but HSE is now targeting the meat and poultry processing industry, and bread, cake, biscuit and dairy product manufacturers in a year-long initiative to try to eliminate MSDs in these sectors and reduce days lost to industry.
Shorrock looks at two tools published by HSE to help assess the risks of MSDs and details their usefulness. The ‘MAC’ tool (Manual Handling Assessment Chart) and the ‘ART’ tool (Assessment of Repetitive Tasks). They provide a framework for assessors to identify whether certain tasks are likely to increase the risks of MSDs.
The article examines the issues facing production line workers and how working in a colder environment while doing repetitive tasks can affect health. It also makes the argument for proactively monitoring MSDs and how it is in the interests of the company to have early intervention, as this can lead to fewer worker days lost.
This article will appear in the July issue, out at the beginning of the month.
In this episode of the Safety & Health Podcast, ‘Burnout, stress and being human’, Heather Beach is joined by Stacy Thomson to discuss burnout, perfectionism and how to deal with burnout as an individual, as management and as an organisation.
We provide an insight on how to tackle burnout and why mental health is such a taboo subject, particularly in the workplace.
