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Chapter 12

Occupational Injuries and Infections

INJURIES

It is understandable that in a sphere where floors are often slippery because of fal and blood deposits, where livestock are handled and where machinery and knives are in eon-siani use, injuries frequently occur.

By far Ihe commonest injuries are culs and abrasions incurred while using knives. Excessive force with a sharp knife or a slip when making an incision can result in a seri-ous wound. Delayed treatment can result in sepsis and arthritis.

The Health and Safcty at Work Act 1974 requires that all employers in Brilain ensure as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees. Specific requirements relaling to first-aid arrangements are laid down in the Factories Act of 1961. A fir^t-aid box or cupboard musi be provided (morę than one if there are morę than 150 workers) in cvery factory. Its contents must conform to certain standards and a responsible person must be in charge. If the factory employs morę than. 150 people, this person must be either a registered or enrołled nurse or the holder of a certificate in first-aid training issued during the previous three years by an approvcd organization. The siting of first-aid boxes, maintenance of records, situation of ambulance rooms and referring of cases to a doctor or hospital, etc., are dealt with by the Factories Act 1961. In areas where knives are used, especially boning-out depart* ments, adequate protection against knife injuiies4iui§t be provided and failure to com-ply may involve employers in prosecution under the 1974 Act.

Regulations madę under the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act and effective from 1981 lay down the accidents which are rcportable directly lo the Health and Safety Exccutive. These relate to deaths, major injury and other dangerous occurrences as defined by the Act. If the injured person goes to hospital, a report is only necessary if hc/she is detaincd for morę than 24 hours. other than for obser-vation. In all cases completion of the 'Accident Book' is necessary.

Because of the high number of hand-tool accidents which occur in the UK meat indus-try (over 1000 in 1981) inspectors in the Health and Safety Executivc carried out an inves-tigation in 1981 into the naturę of knife accidents in meat and Fish plants.

Out of 254 instances of knife injuries exam-ined 75 (29.5%) involved personnel with morę than five years experience of boning-out. In 169 (66.5%) instances there was no protection provided for the non-knife hand and in 228 (89.8%) cases there was no protection for the wrist and forearm. Byt^ier/bonfiis appeared to be most prone to injury, but slaughterers werc involved in about one-third of the total instances.

It is a sad reflection that injury could have been prevented in 213 or 83.9% of the cases, and also that in 20% of the accidents the oper-atives were wearing plastic.or rubber aprons capable of being easily penetrated by a knife.

Usually the non-knife hand is injured, which would tend to indicate that knife-slip is the most frequent immediate cause of injury. Good knife design, proper handle guards and adequate protection for the non-knife hand, wrist and forearm together with the use of an apron of chainmail are csscnlial items for protecting butcher/boners. Many personnel resist the use of gloves and aprons because of their weight and awkwardness in use. A Iightwcight glove madę of high-strength aramid and nylon with a Steel core and which is ^aśhable TTHow available, bul although extremcly cul-resistant, is not cut-proof.

There can be no doubl that the safety of personnel is of the utmost importance because of the injury, pain, possible infection and the time off work involved. Death from knife wounds is not unknown in the meat industry nor is septic arthritis resulting in deformity of finger joints due to lack of proper treatment at the time of the injury.

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