Hi

I'm reviewing our operations in an abattoir which has recently been upgraded and refurbished and I’m trying to find some guidance on H&S in abattoirs, or contacts within the industry. One of my issues for example is around knife use, we make all our staff wear chain mail, but we also use contract staff who are very experienced (much more so than our staff) and they will not wear the chain mail as they need to use both hands for knife work whereas our staff use it on the non cutting hand. Abattoirs are not one of my areas of experience and would appreciate some pointers on best practice and what sorts of standards are applied across the industry on all safety issues, not just knife work.
Many thanks

Hi John

The simple answer is yes all staff must wear provided PPE, but these are not our staff and they have their own systems of work and risk assessments. The fact that they differ from ours would suggest that we as the client have to decide whether they are adequate to provide protection for the risk in hand (excuse the pun!). They have decided that the risks from knife injuries can be adequately controlled through experience and competence in knife use, as the client I’m not sure if that is an acceptable control measure but it’s not something I have experience off, and as such would like to gauge the industries general approach to knife work safety.

Hi

Thanks for that link, i will take a look once i get a chance. I agree with you on the risks and it's always been our approach to supply chain mail. Another interesting issue had been the use of pneumatic work platforms which position the operator at the right height for working on the carcass, on the "de hocking" station they are working at about 2 - 2.5 meters above the ground, we consider there of be a risk of falling as they are open fronted and staff work on the front edge. We therefore use fall restraint harness, but again these contractors say they use these platforms in the UK and have never seen this safety measure put in place. We are a small abattoir in Jersey and as such don't get to see other plants and observe common practice.

Thanks Steve & drussell, I am having trouble with the link, but that's because our company firwall is blocking the site. But i will try later from anothe PC. I agree with you're thoughts on the contractor, but as you say, i just want to be sure of my ground before i take them on.

Many thanks

Surely if these guys are under contract to your abbatoir they are obliged to comply with your safe working practices and not carry on with practices which may raise an eye brow or two on the mainland.

Sounds like a legging platform as far as fall restraint make them where it, if the knife hits a nerve the dead animal will through them off the platform. chainmail : the need to be ambidextrous is paramount for a slaughter man a better choice would be a slash cloth glove this provides better grip on a greasy knife. to hold a plastic handled knife with chainmail the knife will slip and cut the worker elsewhere FACT.
hope this helps people looking for the same thing