Personal Health:

Pre-employment and return to work medical examination.
1.    All employees working in edible areas (including any person handling or working upon fresh meat, including those normally handling only packaged frozen meat and those who may be required from time to time to handle meat) of meat export establishments must have a medical examination and certificate
issued before engaging in the handling or preparation of fresh meat, showing there is no impediment to such employment.
Midfield Meat International permits employees to utilise their own medical practitioners which are readily accessible for the purposes of continued health surveillance and clearance. Failing this the Health and Safety manager will organise a medical service provider / Registered Nurse or will not permit the commencement or return to work in edible areas until a medical certificate is provided.
2.    During the course of employment staff must not have exposed boils, infected sores or wounds or rashes on hands or arms. All bandages must be covered with a waterproof glove or covering.
3.    Following any absence from work due to an illness which could affect the employees suitability to handle meat products, the employee is required to undergo a medical examination to certify that the person “is not affected with any medical condition that would be an impediment to the wholesome production of meat for human consumption”
4.    Illnesses which may affect the employees suitability to handle meat products are;

• Gastro-intestinal illness such as vomiting and diarrhoea
• Skin wounds or infections
• Any other illness which may cause an employee to shed bacteria that could affect thewholesomeness of raw meat products.

5.    A Certificate of Medical Acceptance –a medical examination is to be completed. This form is included in the employee induction manual and extra copies are available from reception. This form is to be handed to the Quality Assurance Manager / O H and S Manger prior to the recommencement of work. Certificates should note “No impediment to handling meat or meat products.”

Return to work after Workplace injuries

Any person injured in the workplace must not return to that position until they have been resigned off on the relevant work instructions by the designated Area Supervisor or Manager.  Any person returning to work after a workplace injury must present at the office to discuss a return to work plan with the Return to Work Coordinator and Area Supervisor or Manager.

Any Person – Employee, contractor, visitor

Suffering from the following ailments:

• Severe cold or flu ailments
• Stomach cramps, vomiting and/or diarrhoea
• Contagious or infectious diseases
• Infected wounds or sores
• Dermatitis, rashes or skin initiations shall
• Report to Company OH &S Manager before commencing work and present a medical certificate verifying that the person certified is not suffering from any medical condition that would be an impediment to the wholesome production of meat for human consumption.
• Present for a medical examination as and when required by management
• Any person suffering cuts or abrasions during work must immediately be reported to area supervisor for referral to first aid for dressing and recording
• All cuts, abrasions and wounds must be examined and dressed by a first aid officer prior to commencing work.
• All cuts and grazes on exposed skin shall be covered by a Midfield Meat International issued approved blue coloured plaster containing a metal detectable strip. These plasters are to have a sample from each batch successfully tested through the metal detector and results are to be recorded. Supervisors / QA are
  to monitor their issue and use. Where appropriate, in addition to the plaster, a glove shall be worn.
• To minimise the risk of contamination, prescribed / personal medicines are not allowed in processing, packaging or product storage areas. Any issues with this may be must be communicated to the OH & S Manager.  Personal medicines must be stored in lockers separate from work clothes and equipment and so they do not risk contaminating work clothes and equipment. Personal medicines are not permitted within the processing plant. Any issues with this may be must be communicated to the OH & S Manager.  Alcohol and illegal drugs are not allowed on site. Random Alcohol and drug testing may be performed.

Personal access

• Persons must not move from an inedible (dirty) area to an edible (clean) area without first changing into clean outer protective clothing and footwear and thoroughly washing hands with soap and water
• Process workers are assigned to work in specific processing areas.
• MMI: Process workers must not move from one processing section to another species processing area without changing to the appropriately coloured uniform (blue for beef and green for small stock), thoroughly washing hands with soap and water, and washing and sanitising aprons, knives and steels.  All processing workers must enter and exit through their designated section wash rooms Beef Skin-on operatives are identified with dark blue clothing. Skin-off operatives are identified with light blue clothing.  Small stock Skin-on operatives are identified with dark green clothing. Skin-off operatives are identified
  with light green clothing.  Skin on and Skin off slaughter floor operators are each provided with separate washrooms for entry / exit from their respective slaughter floors.
• MMP: Small stock slaughter operators are identified from beef slaughter floor operators by different coloured head cover / hairnets. Process workers must not move from one processing section to another species processing area without changing to the appropriately coloured head cover / hairnets (blue for beef and green for small stock), thoroughly washing hands with soap and water, and washing and sanitising aprons, knives and steels. All processing workers must enter and exit through their designated section wash rooms.  Skin-on operatives are identified with dark green clothing. Skin-off operatives are identified with white clothing.  Skin on and Skin off slaughter floor operators are provided with separate washrooms for entry / exit:
• Small stock skin-on operators enter / exit via the washroom located next to the small stock hide puller
• Beef skin-on operators enter / exit via the washroom adjacent to the hook room. The beef passage way will be cleared of carcases when beef skin-on (green) operators exit the building.
• All skin-off operators enter / exit using the wash room in the passageway between the beef and small stock chillers.
• There is a separation of hide-on and hide-off areas in order to prevent workers from these areas mixing. This includes separation of areas via barriers, chains, walls etc.
• MMP: There is a demarcation line identifying the two different slaughter floors
• Company and Regulatory personal required to move between departments processing different species must follow personal hygiene requirements and ensure their actions do not jeopardise product wholesomeness, integrity and prevent the contamination of one species DNA with the other.
• Maintenance staff shall not enter any food production area without wearing a clean coat and protective hair and head covering
• There are separate amenities for inedible (dirty) and edible (clean) personnel. This includes changing and locker rooms, for inedible / dirty (Lairage, condemn, rendering, opening green offal, foetal bleeding, runners, pet food staff etc.) and edible (clean) personnel
• Inedible operators are identified by maroon coloured clothing.
• High visibility vests / clothing are to be worn as required.
• Safe access requirements must be followed
• All areas of the establishment are identified/labelled, i.e. offal chutes, doorways, chemical stores.

CRITICAL LIMITS:

• Effective personnel and equipment sanitation
• Notification of infection, ailments or condition
• Personnel not to be in unauthorised area
• Metal detectable plasters in use
• Species separation and no DNA cross contamination
• Employees, Agency Staff, contractors and visitors are not a source of transmission of food-borne diseases to product.
• Personal medicines are not a contamination risk to product.
• Personal medical clearance to work
• Any person injured in the workplace must not return to that position until they have been resigned off on the relevant work instructions by the designated Area Supervisor or Manager.
• Any person returning to work after a workplace injury must present at the office to discuss a return to work plan with the Return to Work Coordinator and Area Supervisor or Manager.
• Safe access requirements must be followed