IOSH Food and Drink Industries group highlights Innovative safe access solutions at IOSH Food and Drink Conference
The IOSH Food and Drink Industries group recently hosted its annual conference, focusing on the critical issue of working at height—a leading cause of fatalities in the sector. Simon Brentnall, Head of Health & Safety at the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) and a member of the IOSH group, emphasised the importance of addressing this persistent risk. Highlighting the conference session led by Sysco GB, Brentnall noted how the company had innovatively designed their refrigeration units to be located beneath vehicles. This approach eliminates the need for working at height during maintenance or repairs, aligning with current health and safety guidance.
Paul Duncalf, Sysco’s Safety, Training & Fleet Compliance Director, shared the rationale behind this design decision, which exemplifies best practice in controlling risk by removing the hazard entirely. Brentnall praised the Sysco team for delivering an engaging session that not only raised awareness but offered practical solutions to longstanding issues within the Food and Drink industry.
The conference itself, held on 7 October 2025 and titled "Safety you can taste – ingredients for OSH excellence," was organised by the IOSH Food and Drink Industries community in partnership with the HSE Food and Drink Manufacturing Forum and sponsored by Finch Consulting. It covered a broad range of safety topics including leadership, culture change, risk reduction, occupational wellbeing, and prevention of ill-health and musculoskeletal disorders—all key elements aligned with the HSE’s Common Strategy for the food and drink manufacturing sector.
Falls from height are a global concern, particularly within the food and drink manufacturing industry, where ladders and stepladders contribute to at least 40% of such accidents. Industry experts advocate replacing these with safer access solutions like platforms to not only enhance safety but also improve productivity. IOSH President Kelly Nicoll has made this issue a priority, given that falls from height account for about a third of all work-related fatalities in the UK. This was underscored in February 2025 by Dr Chris Davis during an IOSH Thought Leadership Panel, reinforcing the urgency for companies to implement effective safety measures.
Compounding the risks in the sector are workplace transport accidents, identified by the HSE as the second highest cause of fatal injury in the food and drink industry. Transport-related hazards, including falls from stationary vehicles and being struck by moving equipment, continue to demand stringent safety controls, with over 200 workers annually injured by forklift trucks and other vehicles within factories.
The IOSH Food and Drink Group is also notable for its role in recognising innovative safety solutions through the International Food and Drink Health and Safety Awards. These awards celebrate projects that have demonstrated practical improvements across global operations, aiming to disseminate good practices widely within the industry, irrespective of company size.
Amid a rising tide of workplace fatalities reported by IOSH—with a 10% increase in deaths noted in 2023 and falls from height remaining a significant cause—the Food and Drink sector's focus on these hazards reflects a broader national imperative to raise health and safety standards. BFFF’s encouragement for industry involvement in health and safety work through contacts such as Simon Brentnall signals a collective effort to reduce workplace risks and foster safer working environments.
For those interested in contributing to this ongoing safety initiative, the BFFF welcomes engagement through its Health & Safety workstreams, offering a platform for knowledge exchange and collaborative improvement within the food and drink industries.