Papermaking, conversion and paper recycling have traditionally suffered from high accident rates. The Paper and Board Industry Advisory Committee (PABIAC) targeted accident reduction programmes have seen rates in paper and board mills reduce significantly in recent years. Rates in other parts of the industry remain high. PABIAC'S strategy ‘Making a Difference 2008 – 2011’ targets the whole of the paper chain via a framework for action for the period 2008 – 2011.

Key health & safety issues include:

• machinery safety (including safety during intervention tasks)
• workplace transport
• manual handling
• slips and trips

Health and safety management:

Besides the overall management issues, effective management of contractors is a significant issue.  PABIACs Strategy also stresses the importance of company health and safety culture, senior management commitment and governance.

Machinery safety:

For the paper and tissue making industries the publication of Making Paper Safely marked a substantial advance in safeguarding standards, systems of work, training, maintenance and supervision.

Occupational health issues include paper dust, heat stress, noise and musculoskeletal disorders.

Main causes of injury continue to be Machinery, Manual Handling and Slips & Trips.