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swebster  
#1 Posted : 27 November 2017 11:19:32(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
swebster

I have a small ‘artisan’ abattoir in my area of responsibility which includes the full processing and then packaging of meat to end user! Think ‘from cow in the field to mince on the shelf in a farm shop’ in 48 hours …..  The rest of my company is manufacturing so no in-house help on this one ......

I'm looking for some general H&S training for the staff there which looks at slinging/lifting of animals, use of knives/saws, zoonosis etc. etc. You can, I'm sure, get the picture of what we might need in an abattoir! Reason behind it is we have had a few incidents with things falling off of the overhead tracks and cuts/lacerations so I think a refresher might be timely.

However, who can help with this? I have approached the British Meat Association, NFU and a couple of other areas but to no avail. Anyone got anything similar in their areas that could point me in the right direction??

A Kurdziel  
#2 Posted : 27 November 2017 11:31:05(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

You could look at the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers, who claims to represent smaller meat processors unlike the larger British Meat Processors Association. Guidance might exist there. The HSE does have a one shop set of guidance but various bit and pieces can be found on their website covering handling farm animals, manual handling and zoonosis. The Food Standards Agency (which absorbed the former Meat Hygiene Service) deals with food safety issues.

thanks 1 user thanked A Kurdziel for this useful post.
swebster on 29/11/2017(UTC)
KieranD  
#3 Posted : 28 November 2017 02:17:50(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
KieranD

swebster

Are you really going about your search in the most effective way to resolve the problem?

Of the tasks you've listed, they may be categorised as either 'housekeeping'  or risks of musculoskeletal injuries or of slips, trips and falls.

Are you not much more likely to find suitable help when you profile the specific risks to be managed?

thanks 1 user thanked KieranD for this useful post.
swebster on 29/11/2017(UTC)
swebster  
#4 Posted : 29 November 2017 09:32:35(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
swebster

Kieran D - Thanks for your comments, but it's not really about the usual risks of MSDs, STF etc. as we manage that in-house through toolbox talks, training, inspections, reinforcing correct use of relevant PPE where needed (such as chainmail gloves) etc. and the accident/incident rate for these types of things is very low.  

It's more about the technical side where I am struggling - daily inspection, correct/safe use of the lifting equipment when bringing the carcasses up for example. The incidents have been related more to animals falling off of the overhead tracks etc. which in one case was related to a failure in a hook despite the equipment having been recently inspected by a specialist contractor. This is not an area I have any expertise of in terms of what type of checks should be carried out daily and the like - other than using my common sense!

A Kurdziel - Thanks for the suggestion re the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers, I was not aware of them, but that might be a good place to look.

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