Training courses in the field of occupational safety and security in food factories

Occupational health and safety

associated with  manufacturing food and beverage processing plants

 The Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) issues related to the operation of food and beverage processing plants are highlighted in the General EHS Guidelines, which are highlighted during the construction and termination phases. Risks during the operational phase include:

•  Physical risks
• Exposure to noise
• Biological risks
• Chemical hazards
•  Exposure to heat and cold 

Physical risks

Physical hazards include the risk of falling to the ground on the same floor due to the conditions that lead to slippage, the use of machinery and tools, and crash incidents in internal transport machines such as trucks with forklifts and containers.

The General EHS Guidelines provide guidance on general conditions in the workplace, including the design and maintenance of work surfaces and walkways to prevent slip and fall accidents.
Keep surfaces clean and dry clean by preventing proper spills, through proper design and proper operation of equipment, while providing workers with slip-resistant shoes in places where this is still required.
Control occupational hazards in their source by implementing engineering controls. To deal with the risks caused by residues based on health and safety surveys and to provide training to workers on the proper use and maintenance of safety devices (including proper use of machine safety devices) and personal protective equipment such as ear protectors, gloves, bibs, etc to avoid injuries , Amputation, and other shocks caused by sharps;
Ensure that the design of the process is reduced to intersecting opportunities in order to avoid impact and fall accidents.
Planning transport corridors and work areas and ensuring the installation of balustrades on pallets, stairs and stairs properly installed;
Prevent access to water.
Connect all electrical equipment and installations to ground. 

Exposure to noise

Multiple operations in food and beverage processing units generate high levels of noise, for example: canning plant, bottle filling machines, and bleaching processes. Recommended measures to protect workers from noise exposure and control are discussed in the General EHS Guidelines.

 Biological Risks

Exposure to biological and microbiological agents may be associated with inhalation and ingestion of dust and aerosols.

Dust from components used in food and beverage processing and high humidity levels can lead to skin irritation or other allergies. Recommendations for the prevention and control of biological hazards identified for food and beverage processing activities include:

Avoid dust and spray activities (for example, using compressed air or compressed water for high cleaning pressure), and provide closed or semi-enclosed areas, where these activities can not be avoided, with good ventilation, to eliminate or reduce the potential for exposure to dust and spray.

Installation of exhaust hobbies with filters and / or snails, etc., at sources of dust;

Provide personnel with personal protective equipment suitable for operational activities, for example: masks and gloves;

 Chemical hazards

Exposure to chemicals (including gases and vapors) usually involves chemical handling activities related to the cleaning and disinfection of the areas of operation, the use of preservatives in long-term food storage operations, as well as the maintenance of heating systems (thermal oils) and cooling (ammonia). Recommended measures to prevent and control exposure to chemicals are discussed in the General EHS Guidelines.

Food and beverage processing sites typically have large refrigerators, often using ammonia as a primary cooling medium, and there may be a secondary cooling medium such as glycol or saline solutions. Ammonia is a toxic substance and can be an explosive mixture with air. It should be noted that the guidelines for the safe use of ammonia and other refrigerants are readily available from professional refrigeration institutions and must be taken into account.
Heat and cold
Food and beverage processing activities may result in conditions in which temperatures change due to activities such as heat treatment, cooling and freezing. Workers can be exposed to heat in steam exfoliation, pasteurization, canning and low temperatures in cold rooms / rooms. The dose of radiation given to fruit and vegetables should be monitored for the purpose of prolonging its shelf life, in order to prevent exposure to radiation during work. Recommended measures to prevent, control and control exposure to heat, cold and radiation are discussed in the General EHS Guidelines.

 The importance of developing a program to ensure food safety:

The withdrawal of a food product from the market as a result of its contamination or the appearance of counterfeit food products may cause damage to an important area of ​​business. If a company can track its products based on specific figures for the production payments (the so-called operational), the process of withdrawing from the market becomes a matter of recovery for all food carrying those numbers. A company with a strong food safety program can protect itself against product cheating or contamination and the consequences of withdrawing food products.

As such, food and beverage processing activities must be conducted in accordance with recognized international standards for food safety and consistent with the principles and practice of the HACCP system and the Code of Food Laws (“Food Constitution”).