|
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY
Occupational health and safety issues associated
with the operation of food and beverage processing
operations include the following:
|
• |
Physical hazards |
|
• |
Exposure to noise |
|
• |
Biological hazards |
|
• |
Chemical hazards |
|
• |
Exposure to heat and cold |
Physical Hazards
Physical hazards include exposure to same-level fall
hazards due to slippery conditions, the use of
machines and tools, and collisions with internal
transport equipment, such as forklift trucks and
containers. Some industry specific recommendations
are listed as follows:
|
• |
Maintain clean and dry
walking and working surfaces
and provide workers with
anti slip footwear; |
|
• |
Provide workers with
training in the proper use
of equipment (including the
proper use of machine safety
devises) and personal
protective equipment (PPE),
such as hearing protection,
and gloves, aprons etc. to
avoid cuts, amputations, and
other sharp instrument
traumas; |
|
• |
Ensure that the process
layout reduces opportunities
for process activities to
cross paths, thus avoiding
collisions and falls; |
|
• |
Demarcate transport
corridors and working areas
and ensure the proper
placement of handrails on
platforms, ladders, and
stairs; |
|
• |
Ground all electrical
equipment and installations
in wet rooms; |
|
• |
Prepare emergency plans and
train staff for emergency
Situations |
Lifting, Repetitive Work, and Work Posture Injuries
Food and beverage processing activities may include
a variety of situations in which workers can be
exposed to lifting, carrying, repetitive work, and
work-posture injuries. Such injuries may result from
heavy manual lifting and repetitive work, including
the operation of slicing and vacuum-packing machines
and poor working postures caused by inadequate
workstation and process activity design.
Exposure to Noise
A variety of operations
in food and beverage
processing units
generate substantial
noise levels, for
example the canning
plant, bottling
machines, conveyors and
blanching applications.
Biological Hazards
Exposure to biological
and microbiological
agents may be associated
with inhalation and
ingestion of dust and
aerosols.
Dust from the
ingredients used in food
and beverage processing
and high levels of
humidity may cause skin
irritation or other
allergic reactions.
Recommendations for the
prevention and control
of exposures to
biological hazards
specific to food and
beverage processing
include the following:
|
• |
Avoid dust- and
aerosol-generating
activities (such as use of
compressed air or
high-pressure water for
cleaning) and, where they
cannot be avoided, provide
proper ventilation of
enclosed or semi-enclosed
areas to reduce or eliminate
exposure to dust and
aerosols; |
|
• |
Install exhaust ventilation
equipped with filters,
cyclones, etc., at sources
of dust; |
|
• |
Provide workers with PPE
that is appropriate for the
process activity, e.g. masks
and gloves; |
|
• |
Ensure physical segregation
of work and welfare
facilities to maintain
worker personal hygiene. |
Chemical Hazards
Exposure to chemicals
(including gases and
vapours) typically
involves
chemical-handling
activities related to
cleaning
operations, disinfection
of process areas and use
of preservatives in
long-term food storage,
in addition to the
maintenance of heating
(thermal oils) and
cooling systems
(ammonia).
Food and beverage
processing sites usually
have large refrigeration
systems, which often use
ammonia as a primary
refrigerant, and may
have secondary
refrigerants such as
glycols or brines.
Ammonia is a toxic
substance and can form
an explosive mixture
with air.
Heat and Cold
Food and beverage
processing may create
changing temperature
conditions due to
activities such as heat
treatment, chilling and
freezing. Workers may be
exposed to heat from
steam peeling,
pasteurization, and
canning processes and
exposed to low
temperatures in
refrigerated areas /
rooms. Irradiation
dosing to extend the
shelf-life of fruits and
vegetables should be
monitored for
occupational exposure to
radiation.
|
