There is separate guidance on occupational health risks in the food and drink industry. It includes advice on controlling the risks from manual handling (for example roll cages), asthma, rhinitis, dermatitis and noise.
Slips and trips on wet or contaminated floors
Slips and trips are a major cause of accidents in the food and drink industry. Most slips occur when the floor is wet with water or contaminated with food product. Most trips are caused by obstructions or uneven surface.
Managing the risk
Adopting the following measures can help you control the risk of slips and trips.
Preventing slips
You can help prevent slips by taking the following steps:
- eliminate contamination of the floor from water or food product (such as lips around tables, leak and spillage prevention, dry methods to clean floors)
- prevent contamination of walkways (for example bunds around equipment, drainage channels, cleaning footwear on entry)
- limit the effects of contamination (for example immediate treatment of spillages, good ventilation for drying)
- ensure floors have sufficient surface roughness. Floors which may become water contaminated should have at least 20 microns roughness (Rtm), increasing to 45 microns for milk and 70 microns for olive oil. Such roughness is microscopic and does not prevent hygienic cleaning
- ensure your cleaning regime is effective and reduces slip risk. Floor treatments can often make floors more slippery
- select suitable footwear as the effectiveness of shoe soles to prevent slips varies considerably. In general, softer soles (such as microcellular urethane with a good pattern) are least slippery on wet floors
- carrying loads or pushing/pulling trolleys increases the slip risk and should be reduced where possible
Preventing trips
You can help prevent trips by:
- filling holes, and eliminating slopes or uneven surfaces
- eliminating materials or objects likely to cause tripping
Find out more
Falls from height
Falls from height in the food and drink industry cause many major injuries (broken limbs, fractured skulls etc) each year. They can result in serious or even fatal injury even when the fall is less than 2m.
Where falls occur
HSE analysis of falls from height accidents in the food and drink industry has shown workers more commonly fall from the following places:
- ladders
- vehicles
- machinery/plant
- platforms
- stairs
- roofs or false ceilings
- scaffolding or gantries
- warehouse racking
Where workers fall from vehicles, many fall from the back of a lorry, forklift trucks (FLTs), cab steps, the top of a vehicle or tanker steps.
Falls from scaffolds, roofs and ladders are usually associated with maintenance. Where falls are from machinery or plant, the main activities being carried out are often cleaning, checking and sampling.
Managing the risk
In many cases where a person falls from height, safe access has not been provided. All operations requiring work at height require risk assessment and proper management of risks.
Prevent the need for access to height
The need for access to height should be designed out wherever possible, for example:
- on plant, machinery or road tankers, sampling, checking and control operating points can often be located at ground level
- cleaning of plant might be carried out from ground level using a foam jet cleaner or cleaning might be reduced by better extraction of dust, fume etc
Ensure safe access
Where regular or frequent access to height is required, permanent safe access arrangements should be installed. For example, on plant or machinery this might be steps and platform with handrails.
When portable equipment is used for temporary access, it is important that it is not restricted to what happens to be at hand. For example, hiring a scissor lift or cherry picker might improve safety.
Falls caused by slipping
Many falls from height occur when workers slip (for example from the top of plant or off step rungs). Places where workers will stand should be dry where possible and free from contamination.
Falls on stairs
A third of reported fall accidents occur on stairs. This is often due to the stairs being contaminated with water or food product, or the use of inappropriate footwear.
Falls from FLT forks
Ensure workers do not stand on FLT forks, or pallets mounted on forks, to access heights as this is a regular cause of fatal injury.
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Workplace transport
Workplace transport accidents are one of the highest cause of fatal injury in the industry. Each year people in food and drink factories are struck by forklift trucks (FLTs) and other vehicles, frequently resulting in serious injuries.
Other causes of transport injuries are:
- falls from vehicles
- being trapped between a vehicle and a wall
- being trapped by an overturning FLT
- being trapped between 2 vehicles
Where people have been struck by a vehicle, the main cause is reversing and the operator not seeing the person behind them.
Managing the risk
By tackling the following priority areas you will be helping to manage the risks.
Pedestrian/vehicle segregation
You can help keep vehicles and pedestrians apart by taking the following steps:
- plan safe traffic routes, preferably with one-way systems and pedestrian crossing points
- keep vehicles and pedestrians apart where possible, both inside and outside buildings
- ensure vehicles and pedestrians have separate doors into buildings with barriers where required
- have speed limit signs in place and ensure they are enforced
Vehicle reversing
To avoid injuries from reversing vehicles:
- try to eliminate reversing or at least reduce it
- ensure vehicles have good all-round visibility. Fit mirrors and other devices (such as rear view cameras) where required
- decide if there is a need to mark 'reversing areas' so these are clear to drivers and pedestrians
- identify when you would need a signaller (banksman) to direct reversing operations and ensure they have somewhere safe to stand
Falls from vehicles
To reduce the risk of falls:
- on FLTs, ensure make-shift platforms (such as pallets) are not being used to raise workers on the forks – fatalities regularly occur from this practice. Only properly constructed cages designed for lifting people should be used
- avoid the need to go on top of grain vehicles, for example by providing controls at ground level and fitting manual or powered sheeting systems
- eliminate the need for top access on tankers, for example by 'bottom filling' and fitting gauges and controls at ground level. Where access to man-lids is required, ensure access arrangements are safe
Additional transport risks
The following transport risks affect the food and drink industry.
- overturning of tipping lorries and trailers – consider alternative non-tipping vehicle options, stabilisers or air suspension dumping during tipping, level and stable ground, driver training for viscous and sticking loads and training drivers not to jump out of a toppling vehicle
- tailgate safety on bulk delivery vehicles – deaths have occurred when a slug of viscous material slides down a raised trailer and throws open the latched or unlatched tailgate hitting the driver. Consider training drivers to stand clear of the tailgate and having vibratory equipment but also maintain dust control by fitting a sock to the grain hatch or dust extraction at bunded hoppers
- falling from FLTs in loading bays – injuries to drivers occur when the FLT falls down the gap between the loading bay and lorry if it unexpectedly drives off. Consider holding the driver's keys until the lorry/trailer doors are locked closed or a solid restraint attaching the rear of the lorry to the loading bay has been removed
- FLTs on articulated trailers – uncoupled trailers can tip when the FLT moves forward of the trailer legs, also consider if the strength of the trailer floor is sufficient for a loaded FLT
- safety in the use of tail lifts – hands and feet can get trapped during raising or lowering the tail lift. Consider whether trapping points have been designed out and training given in the safe operation of tail lifts, and put precautions in place to prevent roll cages falling from raised tail lifts
- noise levels in cabs – if necessary, reduce noise levels in cabs during loading and unloading operations caused by blowers, vacuum pumps etc
Find out more
Preventing dust explosions
A dust cloud of any combustible material will explode where:
- the concentration of dust in air falls within the explosion limits, and
- a source of ignition of the required energy is present
Under the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations, you must ensure any dusty and powdered substances that could cause fire or explosion, such as flour, are fully assessed and protected.
You can find separate, more detailed guidance on preventing dust explosions in the food industry. It covers:
- causes of dust explosion hazards
- substances capable of explosion
- precautions against the hazards
- selecting and using vacuum cleaners
- solids processing
Being struck by something
Being injured by a moving object (for example being struck by a falling object or a cut from a hand knife) accounts for many major injuries reported to HSE in the food and drink industry.
Some of the injuries are caused by:
- falling objects (such as an item falling from a storage rack)
- hand tools (especially hand knives)
- being hit by moving pallet trucks etc
Managing the risk
Work area risk assessments should include looking at this particular risk, especially as 'struck by' injuries are common and are likely to occur almost anywhere.
Falling objects
To prevent injuries from falling objects:
- ensure items stored above ground level (for example on storage shelving), are stable and will not fall easily if disturbed. Store heavier items on or near the ground and lighter items higher up
- give careful consideration to methods of stacking, handling and movement of goods to prevent articles falling
- make sure tall, self-standing objects (such as gas cylinders) or objects leaning against walls are either stable if knocked, or secured
Handtools
To keep handtools safe:
- hand knives cause the greatest number of injuries and should be safely stored/sheathed when not in use
- when hand knives are in regular use, knife-resistant protective clothing should be worn as determined by the risk assessment (for butchering, an apron and forearm guard/glove for the non-knife hand)
- handtools should be maintained in good condition so undue force is not required to use them
Moving objects
Reduce risks from moving objects through:
- pedestrian operated pallet trucks, racks, trolleys etc using designated routes away from other workers where possible. The person pushing/pulling should have good visibility
- including in risk assessments any other work-area specific hazards (for example rolling barrels or kegs, hoist hooks, items ejected from machines)
Find out more
- British Standards on protective clothing to protect against knife cuts (available from the British Standards Institution website)
- British Meat Processors Association (BMPA)
Processing and packaging machinery
HSE analysis of injuries in processing and packaging has highlighted the main types of machinery involved:
- conveyors
- forklift trucks (FLTs)
- bandsaws
- thermoform machines, pie and tart machines, palletisers/depalletisers, strapping/banding/tapping machines and mincing/ grinding/mixing machines
- food mixers, wrapping machines, dough moulders and depositors
- slicers, dough dividers, derinders, drinks bottling machinery, roll plant and kegging plant
- patty formers, cartoning machines, vertical thermoform machines, drinks labelling/marking machines, shrink-wrapping machines and drinks process machinery
- drinks crating/decrating machines, stamping/punching/franking machines and drinks canning machinery
Conveyors
Conveyors are involved in more machinery accidents in the industry than any other trype of machine. These injuries mainly:
- involve flat belt conveyors
- involve well-known hazards such as in-running transmission parts and trapping points between moving and fixed parts
- occur during normal foreseeable operations – production activities, clearing blockages etc
Safeguarding of hazardous parts of conveyors may be by design, for example:
- lift-out rollers that prevent finger trapping
- fixed guarding (requiring a hand tool such as a spanner to remove), or
- hinged or removable interlocked guards (such as guards fitted with coded, magnetic interlock switches to prevent the machine running with the guard removed)
In the food industry, interlocked guards have the advantage of making the machine easier to hygienically clean on a frequent basis. However, maintenance subject to cleaning fluids may be higher.
A safe system of work should be in place for daily and routine hygienic cleaning of the conveyor that ensures workers are not placed at risk of injury from unguarded moving parts. The system of work used should be formalised and workers appropriately trained.
Thermoform, fill and seal machines
Many injuries are caused by failures in guarding the 2 main hazard areas:
- forming dies
- cutters that separate the continuous packaging into individual packs
The major causes are:
- guards that have been removed or are inadequate
- guards not being provided, not being used or falling into disuse – unsafe systems of work, especially during maintenance
Guidance on injury prevention is given in BS EN 415-3:2000: Safety of packaging machines - Part 3: Form, fill and seal machines (available from the British Standards Institution website).
Palletisers and depalletisers
Most injuries occur when operators or maintenance workers enter the machine and become trapped between fixed parts and moving parts such as transfer heads, sweepers, pushers etc. The risk is made greater by the unexpected nature of machine movements.
There are also hazards from falling loads, sudden movements of jammed product or pallets that are freed, or by movement due to failure to dump stored energy in pneumatic or hydraulic systems.
Guidance on injury prevention is given in BS EN 415-4:1998: Safety of packaging machines - Part 4: Palletisers and depalletisers (available from the British Standards Institution website).
Buying new machinery
When buying new machinery it is important to:
- select work equipment which is suitable for its intended use in terms of health and safety
- clearly specify the health, safety and hygienic design requirements for the supplier to meet (including noise levels)
- check the equipment supplied meets your specification and the supplier has met their legal duties
European CEN 'C' standards
European CEN 'C' standards set out safety requirements for certain types or groups of food machine. If there is a published standard relevant to a machine you are purchasing, this should be specified in the purchase contract.
CEN 'C' standards implement the more generic requirements of harmonised CEN 'A' and 'B' standards. 'A' standards are the basic standards which apply to all machinery. 'B' standards are group safety standards dealing with one aspect such as electrical parts of machines, or one type of safety-related device such as 2-hand control devices.
A 'CE' mark on a machine is a claim by the manufacturer that the machine is safe and complies with the essential health and safety requirements (EHSRs) of the supply law, for example by complying with the relevant CEN standards. However, machine purchasers still need to check the machine is actually safe before use and check the EC Declaration of Conformity provided with the machine.
Pre-CEN Standard machines
Old pre-CEN Standard machines (typically made before 2000-2005) are subject to the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER). This legislation requires machinery to be suitable for its purpose, properly maintained, and safe to clean and use.
The CEN standards described in the previous section should be used as a benchmark for these older machines. Where the standard of safeguarding on an old machine is lower than that for a new machine (as is usually the case), a risk assessment to determine the 'risk gap' should be carried out.
If it is reasonably practicable to upgrade the safeguarding to the modern standard, taking into account the technical challenges, frequency of use, cost etc, then this should be done. If upgrading is not reasonably practicable, then consider replacing the machine within a reasonable timescale, taking into account any increased risk of injury from using the machine, frequency of use, safe systems of work etc.
Find out more
European CEN 'C' standards are available from the British Standards Institution.