8 Common Causes of Food Processing Plant Injuries

High Risk of InjuryAccording to the California Department of Labor Statistics and Research, workers in food-processing

plants have a higher likelihood of being hurt on the job than workers in many other industries.1 Reaching across a conveyor, lifting heavy loads, twisting and bending at a work station,

performing repetitive tasks, and working in awkward positions – all tasks commonly found in processing plants – are leading risk factors for injury.

1. Department of Industrial Relations Cal/OSHA Consultation Service Research and Education Unit. Ergonomics in Action: A Guide to Best Practices for the Food-Processing Industry. California: California Department of Industrial Relations, 2003. Print.

Reducing the CostEvery injury comes at a cost — both to the employee injured and to the company — in way of

accident investigations, OSHA logs, employee downtime, employee turnover, employee retraining, insurance premium increases, medical services, and hiring temporary replacement workers.

Understanding the causes of the most common injuries in food processing plants is key to making adjustments, investing in ergonomic equipment, and providing employee training in order to avoid

the high cost of employee injuries.

Cuts &AmputationsCause: Improper use of knives, cutters, slicers, choppers and grinders.

Injury:

Burns &ScaldsCause: Contact with open flames, hot oils, steam, ovens, appliances, utensils.

Injury:

Electric Shock /ElectrocutionCause: Improperly grounded / malfunctioning equipment and cleaning equipment.

Injury:

Slips &FallsCause: Slippery and cluttered floors and inadequate lighting.

Injury:

Soreness & Loss of Functionof Wrists and ArmsCause: Repeated awkward movements or vibration. Working in one position for extended periods of time.

Injury:

Itching, Swelling,Redness of SkinCause: Temperature extremes; physical abrasion; exposure to detergents, cleaning solutions, food additives, some plant materials, pesticides on fruits and vegetables.

Injury:

Coughing, WheezingShortness of BreathCause: Exposure to flour, grain dust, spices, additives.

Injury:

Evaluate Your PlantWhen you know the causes of common injuries, you can make a plan to avoid them.

Inspect any and all equipment that may contribute to the above injury causes, look for injury-causing points, and determine the next step in making those points safer. Do a plant walk-through and take note of floor spaces, stairs, and platforms that are prone to being slippery or cluttered and look into

anti-slip coating to lessen the risk of slips and falls. Talk with employees to determine repetitive motions in their work stations that could lead to ergonomic injuries.

Ergonomic & Safety SolutionsWhen you’re ready to invest in and implement ergonomic and safety solutions into your plant,

contact the experts at Fusion Tech.

We provide a wide array of ergonomic and safety equipment to prevent employee injuries, including: ergonomic stands, smokehouse cart lifts, platform lifts, pallet lifts, adjustable work stations, foot rails, safety cages and gates, and non-slip application spray. All of our solutions are custom designed and

manufactured to fit your specific application needs and durable enough to last for years in a multi-shift operation.

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About Fusion Tech

About Fusion Tech Fusion Tech Integrated, Inc. is a custom metal fabrication company with 15 years of experience and expertise in creating steel solutions for a variety of clients in the food processing, pharmaceutical, transportation, mining, renewable energy, and agricultural industries.

We specialize in providing innovative solutions for the food processing industry.

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