Risk assessment in industrial hygiene is of crucial importance in the field of the meat industry. This sector faces specific challenges in terms of safety and health due to the handling of animal-derived products
Proper risk assessment in this context allows for the identification and control of potential hazards, such as microbiological contamination. This article explores the importance of risk assessment in industrial hygiene for companies engaged in meat production, as well as best practices for its implementation.
By considering all possible factors in industrial hygiene risk assessment within the meat industry, companies can implement effective preventive and control measures. In this way, they can ensure the quality of the final product and compliance with safety regulations
Among these factors is the handling of meat products; the risk assessment should address potential hazards associated with the handling of meat products, such as the risk of microbiological contamination or exposure to inappropriate temperatures. With regard to chemical hazards, exposure to harmful agents or direct contact with chemicals should be considered.
Personal protective measures for operators also play a key role. The need for and effectiveness of personal protective equipment, such as gloves, professional clothing or anti-bacterial and anti-slip footwear, must be assessed. The risk assessment should also consider the risks associated with hygiene and sanitation in the meat industry. This includes identifying and controlling exposure to pathogens, such as salmonella and E. coli, through appropriate hygiene measures and efficient cleaning and disinfection systems.
Best practices for maintaining industrial hygiene include the use of approved equipment, compliance with hygiene and safety regulations and the application of standardised hygiene protocols in food industry facilities. Personnel hygiene in entry and exit areas, as well as in risk or production areas, must be conducted with the highest standards.
With regard to the traceability of worker hygiene, Roser Group's HCS (Hygiene Control System), a comprehensive system for controlling the presence of operators and the operation of hygiene equipment, can be implemented in sanitary facilities. It allows control of the presence of the operators, discriminated by work areas, recording the management of time in the sanitisation processes and monitoring of the equipment from any mobile device.
It is possible to perform consumption data checks, receive maintenance notifications and operation alerts via any device, such as smartphones, tablets or computers. This provides the ability to configure equipment and customise alerts as needed, all received via email. In this way, access and control of information is facilitated from any device, allowing for more efficient and convenient management.
Risk assessment in industrial hygiene in the meat industry requires the application of specific methods together with regular inspections of equipment and compliance with official approvals is essential to ensure product safety and to comply with established regulations.
One of the widely used methods is FSSC 22000, a Food Safety Certification that specifies which management system to apply in order to ensure that food is safe from the point of origin to the point of sale. BRC Food, which sets out a standard for the organisation of various aspects of food safety, or the IFS (International Food Standard) Protocol, are complemented by others such as HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) in the very large number of possible certifications for the industry.
In order to carry out risk assessment in industrial hygiene, it is necessary to comply with official approvals and standards set by regulatory bodies. These approvals ensure that the methods used are rigorous and in line with the required safety standards.