For those working in occupational safety and health, “producing safe food” and “producing food safely” are ongoing challenges in almost every food and beverage manufacturing plant. Controlling exposures and hazard risks during production that can affect the end product and consumer safety are just as important as the safety processes and concerns that pose a threat to employees.
In their article Food Safety and Employee Safety: Two Sides of the Same Coin, Georgia Tech safety and health experts Hilarie Warren and Jenny Houlroyd teamed up with Wendy White, Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) food and beverage industry manager, to explain why it’s so critically important to identify the root cause of both an employee safety concern and a contamination or exposure issue.
Food safety managers and OEHS managers can collaborate on work practice controls like “The Prevention Pyramid” to improve quality outcomes and employee safety simultaneously. Having engaged management, consistent accountability, adequate resources, timely training, and constant clear communication help to ensure that employees understand the important role they play in maintaining a quality product while keeping each other safe.
Read the entire article Food Safety and Employee Safety: Two Sides of the Same Coin for more in depth information on the hierarchy of safety controls and how to share these capabilities between teams, so that everyone in the company can play a part in keeping the brand’s reputation and company as a whole safe.
Hilarie Warren, M.P.H., C.I.H., currently manages the OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center at Georgia Tech. She enjoys helping companies translate regulatory requirements and move into implementation by providing opportunities for training attendees to share best practices and stories.
Jenny Houlroyd, M.S.P.H., C.I.H., has worked as an industrial hygienist with the OSHA Consultation Program for 16 years, providing onsite OSHA compliance assistance for businesses throughout the state of Georgia. She currently serves as the Manager of the Occupational Health Group for that program. This free program is designed for small- and medium-sized companies to assist employers with achieving regulatory compliance and ensuring that they provide safe and healthful working environments for employees.
Wendy White, M.Sc., is the Industry Manager for Food and Beverage at Georgia Tech’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP), and helps food companies achieve compliance with regulations and customer expectations. She is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Food Safety Magazine.