An analysis by health insurer Aviva has suggested that people working in food and drink manufacturing are more than one-and-a-half times more likely to be injured at work than construction workers.
Its study of figures from the Health and Safety Executive has suggested that, while more people in the construction industry die per year than in any other industry, when you include serious and minor injuries as well as deaths, food and drink workers are more likely to be involved in an accident than construction staff.
As a result, the company has launched a ‘Safety on the Menu’ campaign, offering free health and safety support to food and drink manufacturers, including downloadable guides and access to telephone support.
Aviva Risk Management Services consultant Helen Toll said: “Some of the biggest safety issues in this sector are slips and trips, workplace transport, manual handling and falls from height. In addition, many food and drinking manufacturing processes produce high levels of noise and serious machinery accidents, particularly during cleaning and maintenance work, continue to be an all-too-frequent occurrence.
“We’re eager to help food and drink employers reduce injuries. These kinds of incidents are costly to employers. Many face litigation, while others count the costs in lost productivity and reputation,” Toll said.
“Given the economic climate, we want to help customers by providing a bit of free advice to help control such costs,” she added.
