The Food and Drink Federation (FDF), in partnership with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and trade union groups, have updated and revised a Common Strategy for health and safety in the food and drink manufacturing sector. This strategy sets out a plan of action to continue the excellent track record the industry has had in reducing the number of accidents and injuries in the work place.

The five-year strategy now places a larger focus on reducing the levels of occupational ill health and on improving workplace wellbeing. It takes into account human factors to encourage better management of risks and aims to lead to more engagement on health and safety throughout the entire workforce.

Since 1991 FDF, trade union groups representing the industry and the HSE have collaborated through the HSE’s Food and Drink Forum to produce ‘Recipe for Safety’ – a publication which set out the industry’s health and safety priorities. Since then, several editions of this report have been published and the sector has halved the incidence of injuries reportable to the HSE, with recently published HSE statistics showing a further reduction in both the incidence rate and number of total injuries in 2010/11. A revised Recipe for Safety publication which will take into account the advances made in health and safety practice, is expected to be launched in the New Year and will provide up to date guidance which will be available to all businesses on the HSE website.

FDF members and other businesses in the food and drink industry are continuing to share best practice and lead and invest in important joint initiatives with stakeholders, showing that health and safety continues to be a key priority throughout the sector.

Angela Coleshill, FDF’s Director of Competitiveness said: “The Common Strategy document puts in place new actions for industry and stakeholders to ensure the collaborative success in reducing injuries continues.  FDF, its members and key industry partners have been able to work together by acknowledging that the health and safety of the workforce remains the biggest priority. We are therefore encouraged to see that this relationship has once again been formalized for the coming years.”