The meat processing sector takes the health and safety of our people seriously.

We have significantly reduced the injury rates over time, with the number of ACC injury claims more than halving since 2004.

However, we are committed to improving our performance in this area further by:

  1. Strengthening industry leadership: lifting the professionalisation of health and safety staff, including General Managers who report direct to our members’ boards, as well as participation in groups to foster improved health and safety leadership such as the industry Health and Safety Forum.
  2. Lifting industry standards:  MIA has developed industry health and safety guidelines and industry standards for critical risk activities.
  3. Increasing staff awareness and training: health and safety training and awareness is a basic part of all induction into meat processing employment. It is also a core component of all level 2, 3 and 4 qualifications in meat processing.
  4. Investing in newer, safer, equipment: the industry has rapidly adopted safe cutting technology such as BladeStop, which instantly stops the saw if a glove is moved near the blade. These saws are now becoming standard across the industry. As a basic principle, we seek to eliminate risk where we can. Where it is not possible to completely eliminate a risk, the industry employs safety guarding or other physical protection wherever possible. The industry is always looking at new technologies to remove or reduce risk.

We believe good health and safety is more than compliance. We have a responsibility to look after our people to ensure they go home safe and well.