Management Secrecy - A Threat to Health and Safety

Members will be aware that a trial of the use of gas flush meat is being carried out in Coles Myer stores. It is clear that Coles Myer are increasing the numbers of stores that are being supplied from a centralised company who are providing the gas flushed meat.

We note that in the time since November 2001, Safeway, who trade as the 'fresh food people', have announced that they are beginning trials of centralised supply also instead of employing butchers and meat workers in the stores providing the fresh meat.

Management, where the processes are applied to produce gas flushed meat, consider this a secretive process and try to keep us out.  The Union has been able to get access to the lunchroom in Somerville Road Yarraville where it is prepared.  However we had to go to the Industrial Relations Commission to get the limited access. So far Somerville are staying silent about whether there are risks to health and safety of workers in the process. Management has, so far, tried to prevent the AMIEU from seeing the process. After all, they even implied that there were trade secrets in the staff lunchroom.

However, we have been able to look at the information from other parts of the world where the gas flush process is in use. This article is based on international material and, we believe, is relevant to the process at Somerville Road, Yarraville. Altering the atmosphere surrounding meat is designed to extend the shelf life. The gas is usually a combination of carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen.

Carbon dioxide is used to inhibit the growth of most bacteria and moulds, the higher the level of CO2 the longer the achievable shelf life. There are, however, negative effects of CO2 being too high so other gases are needed. In Britain, in these gas flush processes, CO2 is usually 30% of the atmosphere with retail meat.

Oxygen causes oxidative deterioration of foods. It is required for the growth of aerobic micro-organisms. Oxygen is reduced to increase meat shelf life. The major reason for having O2 present at any level is that it will assist in maintaining the red colour of meat.

Nitrogen is used to exclude air, in particular oxygen. It is the balance gas because N2 is inert and can be used to prevent collapse of the packaging. 

In the work place these gases are in liquid form, or high-pressure gas, in bulk tankers or cylinders, either as single gases or in combination. What needs to be taken into account is that: carbon dioxide in compressed, liquefied or solid form; nitrogen in compressed or liquefied form; and oxygen in compressed or refrigerated liquid form are all covered by the Dangerous Goods Act and subject to specific regulations under the Dangerous Goods Regulations. 

There are major risks of explosion from Oxygen being kept under high pressure. Workers have a right to know that the Dangerous Goods requirements are being met.

As all three of these gases are in the air and are what we breathe, it is too easy to overlook the potential health impact of breathing different combinations of these gases. The worst effects can occur with the reduction of oxygen and the increase of carbon dioxide. There must be continuous monitoring of the air in the breathing zone of the workers. If the workers were to breathe the gas in which the meat is packed to expand the shelf life of the meat, it could cause short term symptoms, long term damage or death.

Carbon dioxide is normally in the air at about 0.03% to 0.06%.

If healthy people are exposed at 0.5% to 1% continuously there is increased calcium deposition in body tissues, including in the kidneys. When the concentration is breathed at around 5% it causes dizziness, headache, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), confusion and dyspnea (difficult breathing). If is goes up to 8% to 10% severe headache occurs as does vomiting, disorientation and high blood pressure. Breathing CO2 at that level after 5 to 10 minutes can cause loss of consciousness.

There have also been reviews of people who became unconscious after breathing high levels of CO2. Repeated eye examinations were made for two years beginning six weeks after the exposure. There was constriction of visual fields, enlarged blind spots, photophobia (affected by bright light), dark-adaptation, headaches and personality changes.

As an asphyxiant, CO2 presents its greatest danger. Breathing carbon dioxide at high levels combined with oxygen at low levels can kill workers.

The increase of carbon dioxide and the reduction of oxygen in packaging will not pose major risks to workers if the correct handling of the dangerous goods is followed and if there is no exposure to breathing the gas. However, if the gas is in the workers' breathing zone as well as in the meat packaging, there could be major risks to workers.

Information on 'gas flush', as it is used around the world, is available on the internet. Why does the company at Somerville Road claim that there are 'trade secrets' that mean that the workers can not have the Union come and look at the processes?
Is the company providing information to the workers about the gases that are used?
Or is the company refusing workers' rights to know about potential hazards?
Is the company putting workers at risk? 
Or is this really an attempt to stop workers from exercising their human rights and joining the Union?