Covid-19 problems for workers in food processing plants may be bigger than originally thought.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) claimed to Sky news In mid-September this year that there were around 40 food factories with active Covid-19 outbreaks in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with many in meat plants. Link to the story below
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-why-are-covid-19-outbreaks-happening-in-food-factories-12058673
The FSA also stated for this interview that less than 0.25% of more than 20,000 food processing plants have been affected.
What they appear not to have mentioned is the possible number of workers that were affected by Covid-19.
In the Guardian newspaper on Sunday they quoted research by Pirc, a company who advise shareholders on ethical investment. They found that there have been at least 1,461 infections and six deaths, with the true figures likely to be even higher.
Link below to the Guardian Article
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/27/covid-cases-at-food-factories-in-uk-could-be-over-30-times-higher-than-reported
In this Article it is claimed that the reported number of Covid-19 cases in food factories may be 30 times higher than reported due to a loophole that allows companies to determine whether employees were infected on the job, or elsewhere.
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) puts duties on employers, the self-employed and people in control of work premises (the Responsible Person) to report certain serious workplace accidents, occupational diseases and specified dangerous occurrences (near misses).
For accidents resulting in the over-seven-day incapacitation of a worker, you must notify the enforcing authority such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) within 15 days of the incident.
The latest government guidance for food businesses was updated on the 10th September. Link below.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-food-businesses/guidance-for-food-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19
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