Meat Processing Compliance Campaign 2022–2023 Worker Perspective

WorCover Queensland conducted an extensive statewide engagement and enforcement campaign in the meat processing industry from June 2022 to February 2023. The campaign aimed to enhance worker safety and increase industry compliance in high-risk meat processing workplaces. It specifically targeted workplaces with claims exceeding the average industry rates for workers' compensation, including medium and large meat abattoirs, large wholesale meat operations, and value-adding small goods meat processing workplaces.

Identified Risks: 

Throughout the campaign, several key work health and safety (WHS) risks were identified, including:

• Unsafe handling and moving of objects.
• Unsafe manual tasks.
• Slips, trips, and falls.
• Falling objects and working at height without protection.
• Inadequate plant guarding.
• Amputation risks.
• Cuts and lacerations.
• Use of inadequate hand tools (knives and electric tools).

Campaign Outcomes: 

WHSQ inspectors, acting on behalf of WorCover Queensland, conducted assessments at 48 meat processing workplaces and took enforcement actions for non-compliance. The outcomes included:

• 116 improvement notices.
• Two infringement notices, resulting in $7,200 in fines.
• Four prohibition notices.
• 20 immediate compliances, indicating prompt resolution of identified issues during inspections.

Campaign findings

The most frequent non-compliant issues identified were:

Campaign Recommendations for Meat Processors:

• Maintain a comprehensive risk register, prioritizing WHS risks and non-compliance issues from very high to low risk.
• Engage in regular consultations with workers and health and safety representatives to identify and document hazards and risks in the risk register.
• Apply the hierarchy of controls in collaboration with workers to establish effective control measures for risk management.
• Establish a monitoring and review system to assess the ongoing suitability and effectiveness of implemented controls.
• Communicate effectively with all workers to ensure understanding of the risk management systems, and enforce adherence through supervision.
• Provide training and education to workers, emphasizing key WHS risks identified in the campaign, such as lack of training in LOTO procedures, limited access to locks, tags, and equipment, and absence of guards on plant machinery.

Resources: Utilize the following resources to enhance safety processes and ensure compliance.

Guidance

• Self-assessment tool for workplaces (PDF, 1.31 MB)
• Knives at work
• How to keep young workers safe when they use knives and cutting tools at work (PDF, 0.28 MB)
• Knife sharpening programs in the red meat processing industry
• Guide to the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (PDF, 0.35 MB) (includes information on training, instruction and supervision)
• Labour hire agencies: Managing the safety of on-hired workers (PDF, 0.28 MB)
• Host employers: Managing the safety of labour hire workers (PDF, 0.26 MB)

Codes of practice

• Work health and safety consultation, co-operation and co-ordination Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 0.49 MB)
• How to manage work health and safety risks Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 0.65 MB)
• Hazardous manual tasks Code of Practice 2011
• Managing risks of plant in the workplace Code of Practice 2013 (PDF, 1.57 MB)
• Managing the work environment and facilities Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 0.57 MB) (includes falling objects and working at heights)
• Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace Code of Practice 2013 (PDF, 1.21 MB)

Injury Prevention and Management Program

Register for IPaM now  to talk to an advisor or email for more information.