SQT Blog

At the recent launch of the HSA three year strategy, the Minister for Labour Affairs, Dara Calleary stated: ‘Last year (2009) saw the lowest level of workplace deaths on record … Huge improvements have undoubtedly been made and the challenge now is not just to maintain those gains, but to build on them.’

That prompted me to look up statistics on fatal accidents in the workplace here. The following tables from the HSA website show the number of fatal accidents at work for the years 2002 – 2009. The statistics are shown in two tables as the classification system changed after 2007.

Two areas of economic activity, one, construction and two, agriculture, hunting and forestry accounted for a significant proportion of workplace fatalities. These two areas accounted for between 43% and 63% annually. We are almost a quarter ways through 2010 and thankfully there has been no contruction related death to date.

Whilst a reduction in the number of fatalities for whatever reason has to be widely welcomed, to some extent though we probably have the recession and the resultant decline in constuction activity, to thank for this improvement.

A poignant reminder – Last week, the total number of fatalities for 2010 to date, was 10. Today that figure is 11. Today yet another family is in mourning.

We all need to actively play our part to promote and maintain health and safety in the workplace.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the state sponsored body in Ireland with responsibility for securing safety, health and welfare at work. Working in partnership with employers and employees, its responsibility is to ensure that safety and health in the workplace is a key priority for everyone.

The whole area of Health and Safety is very relevant to us here at SQT as we have thirty three training courses in this area.

Yesterday, the Minister for Labour Affairs, Mr. Dara Calleary TD, launched the Health and Safety Authority’s new three year strategy.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister said “This new strategy builds on the significant progress made in relation to worker safety, health and welfare in recent years. It takes account of the realities of running a business during very difficult economic circumstances while ensuring that the safety, health and welfare of all workers is given the priority it deserves”.

The Minister added, “Huge improvements have undoubtedly been made and the challenge now is not just to maintain those gains, but to build on them. There are still important concerns to address at a time of unprecedented pressures on practically every business in the country. Working in close partnership and cooperation with key stakeholders, I’m confident that the Health and Safety Authority will be successful in achieving its vision of a national culture where all commit to safe and healthy workplaces”.

The Chief Executive of the HSA, Martin O’Halloran, placed emphasis on the fact that safe and healthy workplaces go hand in hand with commercial success. “From a financial perspective, conservative estimates put the cost of workplace accidents to the economy at well in excess of €3 billion annually. At an organisational level, business owners and managers must realise that a systemic approach to worker safety, health and welfare is not just a legal requirement, but an investment in the future success of the business.”

He further reminded people that, “So far this year 10 workers have lost their lives in work related accidents and every day an estimated 150 workers suffer an injury or illness due to their work. The real tragedy is that these accidents are foreseeable and preventable”.

The full strategy document is available from the HSA website.

A report just published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will be of interest to people attending our Food Safety training courses, particularly the HACCP, Global Standard for Food Safety and Food Safety Auditing courses.

The EFSA report gives the results of a survey carried out in 2008 among 26 member states on Campylobacter and Salmonella in chicken at slaughterhouses in the EU. Campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis are the two most reported food-borne diseases in humans in the EU. The overall finding was that a high prevalence of Campylobacter was found in chickens, whereas Salmonella was less frequently detected.

All Member States participating in the survey reported Campylobacter in the chickens they sampled. The samples were taken at the beginning and at the end of the slaughter line – when the chickens arrived at the slaughterhouse and when their carcasses were chilled after slaughtering. On average, the bacterium was found in the intestines of 71% of chickens, indicating that they were already infected when alive, and on 76% of sampled carcasses, which suggested some further contamination during slaughtering. The survey showed that these figures varied greatly between Member States. The respective results for Ireland were 83% compared with the EU average of 71%, for chickens, and 98% compared with an EU average of 76%, for carcasses. The results showed that Ireland was fourth highest result for chickens and second highest for carcasses among the 26 member states surveyed.

The survey found that 22 of the 26 Member States reported Salmonella in the chicken carcasses they sampled. On average, 16% of sampled carcasses were found to be contaminated and again figures varied between Member States. The figure for Ireland was 11%, which though lower than the EU average was still the tenth highest result.

The FSAI comment on this EFSA report and also cite their own report, which is currently being finalised which highlights that 13.2% of the external surface of chicken packaging and 10.9% of the surface of retail display cabinets were contaminated with Campylobacter species.

According to Professor Alan Reilly, CEO, FSAI the findings of both studies provide significant data for the FSAI’s Scientific Committee which is currently working with the food industry and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to look at practical measures to form the basis of a Campylobacter control programme in Irish chicken … Similar to all bacteria found naturally on meat and poultry, the danger posed by Campylobacter can be removed by thoroughly cooking products and by preventing cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat foods.

The results above further emphasise the critical importance of good hygiene practice when handling chicken in slaughter houses, in retail outlets and in the home.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) do trojan work in the whole area of food safety.

Last week it announced details of communications received on their advice line in 2009. In total 9,444 communications were received, of which 1,981 (21%) were complaints from consumers.

The 1,981 complaints were broken down into:

858 (43%) complaints on unfit food
363 (18%) complaints on suspect food poisoning
408 (21%) complaints on hygiene standards
112 (6%) complaints on incorrect information on food labelling
20 (1%) complaints on incorrect advertising of food products
220 (11%) other

Consumer awareness of food hygiene and safety issues is evident in my opinion from the fact that 38 people on average contacted the FSAI each week with complaints. However we must remember that this only reflects the number of consumers who actually took the time to make contact with the FSAI – most likely only a fraction of the number of consumers who encountered problems.

Foreign objects that contaminated food included insects, hair, pieces of skin, glass and rodent droppings. Complaints about poor hygiene standards related to food handling staff not washing their hands, touching their face and then handling food and handling raw and cooked food with the same kitchen utensils.

44% of communications received by the advice line were from the food industry. The main requests were for publications, advice on food labelling, food safety training information and information on how to set up a new food business.

We here at SQT also do a lot of training in the area of food safety. In total we have twelve courses in this area including:

Food Safety Auditing
HACCP Development, Implementation & Verification
Food Allergen Control
Global Standard for Food Safety BRC Issue 5
Instructor Skills for the Food Industry
Introduction to Food Legislation
Food Hygiene

A number of these courses are FETAC accredited.

Full information on the courses listed is available by clicking on the above links or here for our full range of food safety courses.

Full details of FSAI announcement is here.

FÁS and the ESRI yesterday published its Occupational Employment Forecasts 2015 report. The full report is available here. Quoting from the report, the main points were:

– Changes are likely in the sectoral and skills mix of employment.
– While employment in most occupations is expected to recover from the lows reached in 2010, the speed and the extent of recovery is likely to vary by occupation, with some occupations emerging with relatively strong employment growth and others failing to reach pre-recession levels by 2015.
– The occupations expected to exceed pre-recession peak levels are concentrated at the higher end of the skill scale. They include professionals and associate professionals (technicians) in the areas of science, engineering, business services and IT.
– Occupations which, while growing after 2010, are not anticipated to recover to 2008 peak levels, include skilled building workers, production operatives, unskilled manual workers, sales assistants and clerks.
– Combined managers/proprietors, professionals and associate professionals are expected to account for 38% of the total employment in 2015 compared to 34% in 2008 (and 31% in 1996). When these groups are combined with clerical workers, the forecasts suggest that, in 2015, 50% of workers will be in ‘white collar’ employment (up from 44% in 1996).
– The overall employment level is based on the ESRI’s latest forecasts for recovery, whereby employment in 2015 is projected to be some 80,000 below the peak level reached in 2008. However, given an estimated loss of 330,000 in employment between the 2008 peak and 2010, the projection implies that the economic recovery, which is expected to begin towards the end of this year, will generate 250,000 additional jobs between now and 2015.
– The number of females in employment is expected to exceed its pre-recession level by 2015, while male employment, although growing beyond 2010, is not expected to recover to the pre-recession level by 2015. Females are gaining share in many occupations, especially high skilled ones. By 2015, females are expected to account for more than a half of business services professionals and almost a half of all managers.
– Improvements in the educational profile are likely to continue during the forecasting period, with the share of third level graduates increasing in all occupations. By 2015, over 90% of all professionals are expected to hold a third level qualification.

Whilst all forecasting is based on certain assumptions, and the authors clearly acknowledge this, it certainly gives us plenty to work with.