Cheese Reporter Featuring Pino-Gallagher: Prioritizing Worker Safety Will Never Become Antiquated
M3’s Jen Pino-Gallagher is featured in the Cheese Reporter as a guest columnist to share the importance of prioritizing worker safety.
A lot has changed in the world of cheesemaking since the early stages of the dairy industry in the 1800s when copper kettles heated over an open fire were the norm. While these early cheese plants likely produced excellent cheese, the work environment was certainly not the safest.
Enter the modern cheesemaking era: zero open fires — dozens of safety regulations.
Focus on Safety at Every Stage – From Production to Packaging
The regulations in place are intended to keep workers in the United States safe as they turn out over 14 billion pounds of cheese annually. But, as shown in a report in the Journal of Safety Research food processing in general is still considered a high-risk industry.
Key Risks for Dairy Processors
According to Michael Pate, associate risk manager at M3 Insurance, there are key areas dairy processors can focus on to enhance worker safety in the dairy processing space and in food movement in general.
- Equipment Safety
- Ergonomic Hazards
- Slips and Falls
- Noise Exposure
- Chemical Exposure
- Psychosocial Hazards
Prioritizing worker safety is not just a regulatory requirement; it’s a strategic investment that can result in increased productivity, reduced downtime, and overall business success.
— Jen Pino-Gallagher
Director of Food & Agribusiness Practice | M3 Insurance
Cheese Reporter is a weekly trade newspaper focusing on the production of cheese, butter, cultured milk, and fluid milk industries. Coverage includes prices and markets, legislative and regulatory issues, import and export analysis, dairy product contests, company features, new products, and much more.
