Meat factory clusters?

big syke

Muahahaha wrote: »

The workers are not even paying tax here and the meat plant owners dont pay any employers PRSI either


https://www.oceanfm.ie/2020/07/30/questions-over-how-meat-factories-recruit-and-employ-foreign-workers/

Unbelievable that they are working on Irish soil and we dont see a penny of tax out of it.

Why is this not being made a big deal out of?

I see no main news outlet running with this story.

This is a scandal

Beanybabog

I really hope it can be demonstrated that the meat factories weren’t implementing good procedures, despite what they say. Because if they followed the guidelines and did everything right it means the measures still didn’t stop this happening, and then we’re in trouble.

Beanybabog

Beanybabog wrote: »

I really hope it can be demonstrated that the meat factories weren’t implementing good procedures, despite what they say. Because if they followed the guidelines and did everything right it means the measures still didn’t stop this happening, and then we’re in trouble.

It’s not just the factory setting itself though- if it’s true that many/most workers in these factories are living in house shares, then it creates an additional and significant risk factor that wouldn’t be found in other working environments I.e. most of us don’t live with the people we work with.

maestroamado

Beanybabog wrote: »

I really hope it can be demonstrated that the meat factories weren’t implementing good procedures, despite what they say. Because if they followed the guidelines and did everything right it means the measures still didn’t stop this happening, and then we’re in trouble.

HSA have major roll in this, they are the enforcers...

maestroamado

big syke wrote: »

Why is this not being made a big deal out of?

I see no main news outlet running with this story.

This is a scandal

I think this is pretty normal, Ryanair are doing the same and their employees in EU pay tax here.
That was part of the problem last year, i do not know how Ryanair was sorted as you say it was not reported...

nthclare

And supposedly the meat factories were at 95% production during lockdown and they still applied for financial assistance for staffing.

I wonder is that true or not, 95% production 5% less production so how come they needed 100% assistance but had a 95% output...

It doesn't add up doe's it ?

i_surge

antseanoifig wrote: »

Seems to be a lot of misinformation and lack of understanding around the environment in this type of factory. I am speaking from experience within a meat processing/packaging facility that supplies large chains across Ireland, the UK and the EU. Broad brushstrokes are being applied at will here.

Firstly - the company I work for employs everyone directly. We do not contract work out. We pay employers PRSI etc. Rates of pay are similar to entry level roles in the hospitality sector and retail sector which have recently reopened. However, all of our employees work 40 hours per week.

Now to the working envrionment.

Unfortunately it is by design and necessity to maintain the quality of meats that we work in an environment that facilitates the spread of any virus.

Strong cooling and ventilation is required to prevent contamination. e.g. E-Coli. Air speed in a factory is approx 10 times greater than a non chilled environment.

That's the next point - chilled. We are required by Bord Bia to keep the factory below a certain temperature to ensure production of safe meat to consume. Viruses tend to survive longer outside the body at colder temperatures. Conditions needed to keep meat safe are unfortunately the same conditions that Covid-19 thrives in.

It's physical work. Greater physical demands equals more exhalation and exertion. Again there is risk here. We made masks and visors mandatory mid March. We placed physical barriers/screens between employees on production lines. Staggered shifts, stagged breaks, rolled out a multi lingual campaign detailing measures to reduce risks of Covid-19 at work and at home. These are just some of the actions we have taken. There are 81 actions we have impletmented in total since mid-March 2020.

One of our biggest challenges has been trying to eductate and control what people do outside the factory grounds.

We have already had an audit in relation to Covid-19 protocols from DAFM and HSA, both of which went well.

Much of the risk is unavoidable. However it is possible to reduce the risk when transmission of the virus elsewhere in the community is low in the same way risk to nursing homes reduces in the same manner. Wider societal doubling down of efforts in relation to distancing, and washing and hygiene is needed. Not having a virus to introduce or at least having a very low 14 day incidence in the first place is our only hope.

The idea that if factories just close or take action X,Y and Z is too simplistic and not backed by evidence.

In fact here is some evidential reading from the outbreaks in Germany: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3654517

Thanks for your post, lots of assumptions thrown around certainly.

I'm curious if the high air speed could be a counterproductive factor in covid spread?

There is something going on in these factories, not just in Ireland, what is the difference between other hard labour close working industries of which I can think of a few and packing meat that is causing issues? The air speed seems like a unique feature of the environment?

Can you tell us about fresh air vs recycled intake?

Thoughts?

maestroamado

I do not know how accuarate this is but i was chatting a guy from the area yesterday.
He said they were aware that their temp be taken and were going into chilled area before this took place.
He also said if not working be in overcrowed living conditions with no wages.

antseanoifig

i_surge wrote: »

Thanks for your post, lots of assumptions thrown around certainly.

I'm curious if the high air speed could be a counterproductive factor in covid spread?

There is something going on in these factories, not just in Ireland, what is the difference between other hard labour close working industries of which I can think of a few and packing meat that is causing issues? The air speed seems like a unique feature of the environment?

Can you tell us about fresh air vs recycled intake?

Thoughts?

High speed air is re-circulated and cooled but also exchanged multiple times throughout each shift. I don't have exact measures on timeframes or quantities of air exchange unfortunately.

Quoting from the German study it's safe to say that yes it is counter productive to Covid-19 spread - "Climate conditions and airflow as factors that can promote efficient spread of SARS-CoV-2 via distances of more than 8 meters"

Again, the circulation of cold air is a necessity in this environment. The above study would suggest any workers within an 8m radius of someone sympomatic need to be isolated immediately but also exact transmission distances are likely to vary substantially depending on facility layout and operation conditions.

maestroamado

I heard on hte radio this morn that meat industery meeting oireachtas committee today.
Just wonder what that's all about...

expectationlost

Meat processing only industry to receive advance warning of Covid-19 inspections https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/meat-processing-only-industry-to-receive-advance-warning-of-covid-19-inspections/

“In the main, HSA inspections are unannounced.

“However, in certain circumstances, limited advance notification may be required for operational reasons. For example, where it is essential for inspectors to meet with specific individuals at the place of work, or to ensure a particular work activity is being undertaken so as to allow inspectors to observe.

Meat processing an hardly be the only industry where different things happen at different times? but I think this article is strangely written to make it sound worse then it is.

antseanoifig

expectationlost wrote: »

Meat processing only industry to receive advance warning of Covid-19 inspections https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/meat-processing-only-industry-to-receive-advance-warning-of-covid-19-inspections/

Meat processing an hardly be the only industry where different things happen at different times? but I think this article is strangely written to make it sound worse then it is.

The factory which I work in has had both an announced inspection (DAFM) and within a fortnight later had an unannounced inspection (HSA). Not entirely true to say that meat processing plants will receive advance warning of inspection.

Fr_Dougal

Carroll meats to reopen.

This shouldn’t be allowed until the restrictions on Offaly are lifted.

Fr_Dougal

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Carroll meats to reopen.

This shouldn’t be allowed until the restrictions on Offaly are lifted.

Probably the safest place to work in Offaly at the moment, for the next while anyway

stockshares

Outbreak in Monaghan
https://twitter.com/RTEbusiness/status/1297917700409303042?s=19

Water John

A cluster in Cahir ABP also.

stockshares

Meat factory outbreak Waterford
https://twitter.com/Michelle_Byrne_/...922450432?s=19

stockshares

Previous Outbreak in Cork in July and the factory was never closed down
https://twitter.com/irishexaminer/status/1306869496292966400?s=19

Quote
It has emerged there were 226 cases associated with one plant in July.

“We understand that plant is in Cork, and that it was never closed down,” he said.

"Yet last week, testing in meat plants was suspended.

aziz

And here we are today with more businesses being closed down with very few cases attributed to them but the meat plants get off Scott free