A number of major food manufacturers have collaborated to form a specialist food industry safety body, which aims to produce practical guidance to help firms cut accidents within the sector.
The Food and Drink Industries Group has been established as part of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), which is one of Europe’s leading health and safety bodies. The group is made up of 15 representatives, including those from Greencore, Northern Foods, Uniq and Nestlé, as well as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), trade unions, insurers and solicitors.
“This won’t just be a talking shop - I won’t allow that,” says Greencore’s safety, health and environmental manager and safety group chairman Tom Chambers. “We’re working on a ‘Menu for Safety’, which will be a practical response to the HSE’s ‘Recipe for Safety’ initiative. We will take each item on the HSE’s list and try to provide simple solutions that businesses can use to meet the requirements,”
Most of the HSE’s work is focused on statistics, claimed Chambers, whereas the new group will concentrate on producing specific health and safety guidance. “We’re all after the same customers, so there’s no conflict of interest,” he added.
A two-year action plan has been drawn up for the group, whose management committee will have its first meeting on May 24.
IOSH is currently contacting all relevant safety advisors in its database of members and inviting them to take part in the group’s work. Companies looking to join can contact IOSH on 0116 257 3100.