ISSUE 38

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Latest HSE Statistics YTD
  2014 2015
Workplace fatalities
Non-work related fatalities
Non-accidental deaths (NADs)
Lost Time Injuries (LTIs)
All injuries (excluding first aid cases)
Motor Vehicle Incidents (MVIs)
Roll over - MVIs
Serious MVIs
Lost Time Injury Frequency (LTIF)
Life Saving Rules Violations
YTD
Journey management
Speeding/GSM
Seatbelts
Overriding safety device
Working at heights
Permit
Confined space
Lock out tag out
Drugs and alcohol
Gas testing
Smoking
Suspended Load
Vehicle Class A/B Defect
YTD
Class A
Class B
HSE TIP
Contaminated hands can spread bacteria around your kitchen very quickly. It is vital that good standards of personal hygiene are maintained by food handlers.
 
 

Important News
   
 

Food poisoning, also called food borne illness, is an acute illness caused by eating contaminated food. Infectious organisms such as bacteria, viruses and parasites or their toxins are the most common causes of food poisoning. These organisms can contaminate food at any point of food processing or production. Contamination can also occur at home if food is incorrectly handled or cooked. Dietary sources for food borne illness include contaminated water, unwashed vegetables and fruits, meat, poultry, eggs, shellfish and dairy products such as Milk. The condition of some contractors’ camps and catering facilities is a concern,

    

and previous inspections by corporate health and MSE team have highlighted numerous non-compliance with public health standards (SP1232). Camps inspections are ongoing and reports are being reviewed by PDO top management. The main catering issues stem from poorly designed kitchens, lack of food safety management systems, poor hygiene and insufficient training of catering staff.  Nevertheless, due to the ongoing efforts to improve the catering facilities, welfare and living conditions, lately we have observed tangible improvements in catering services and camps standards coupled with significant reduction in food poisoning outbreaks compared to the past.  
 
 

What You Need to Know
 
 
Symptoms :

Food poisoning symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea with or without fever usually start within hours of eating contaminated food; however some food poisoning may begin days or even weeks later. Food poisoning illness generally lasts from a few hours to several days.
Treatment :

Treatment for food poisoning typically depends on the source of the illness and the severity of the symptoms. For most people, the illness resolves without treatment within a few days, fluids intake is the mainstay of treatment; you also need to avoid caffeine, alcohol and fatty food.  Treatment with Antibiotics is rarely indicated.
 
Catering responsibility:

Catering staff who suffer from diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps or fever or have infected wounds or boils must inform their supervisor and visit the clinic for advice and must not go back to work until declared fit to work by the Medical professional.
 
 
ISSUE 38

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Bacteria multiplies extremely fast when food is kept at unsafe temperature between 5-63 °C (danger zone), time is also another factor to allow bacterial growth. The main reasons for food poisoning outbreak include:
 

  • Un-trained catering staff/food handlers
  • Purchasing food from unknown or unapproved vendors
  • Under cooking of food.
  • Food prepared too far in advance, and stored at warm temperature.
  • Cooling food too slowly prior to refrigeration.
  • Not thawing frozen poultry and meat in thawing cabinets.
  • Cross-contamination from raw food to cooked food.
  • Improper food storing such as storing hot food below 63 °C.
  • Infected catering staff due to lack of fitness to work certification.
  • Use of leftovers
  • Improper waste and pest control

  

Implementation of the right food safety practice is the most important aspect of food hygiene and when you get the practices right you should achieve food safety for all. The following are important advices for the prevention of food poisoning outbreak:
 

  • Ensure the catering staff have been trained on HACCP and basic food hygiene.
  • Purchase food from approved vendors.
  • Store food in a temperature below 5 °C  in fridge or freezer or above 63 °C  under bain-marie
  • Refrigerate cooked food as soon as possible after cooking
  • Separate raw food from cooked food
  • Cook red meat and poultry to a safe temperature, until they are no longer raw, make sure the juices run clear and the internal core temperature of the meat is at least 75 °C.
  • Avoid eating raw or lightly cooked eggs.
  • Through away food that changes appearance, colour, shape and odour.

  

  • Defrost meat, poultry and fish products in thawing cabinets or refrigerators or microwave. Do not rinse frozen     food under the hot or cold tap in a sink to defrost, this practice is un-hygienic.
  • Avoid re-heating or re-freezing food
  • Pay attention to personal hygiene eg hands washing with soup and water, use of PPE etc and always use clean utensils.
  • Wash your cutting boards with soup and hot water after each use.
  • Adhere to good housekeeping and sanitise your kitchen dishcloths and sponges regularly.
  • Clean kitchen counters, floor and surfaces that come in contact with food with hot water and detergent
  • Keep pests and insects away from kitchen, stores and dining halls.
  • Check canned foods and food expiry dates and implement first in first out method.