Abstract

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the food safety and occupational health and safety status of food businesses and their appropirateness accrding to legislation.
METHOD: The population of this descriptive study was 66 food businesses in Organized Industrial Zones of Gaziantep. The number of businesses that accepted to join the study was 50. The questionnaire, including 53 questions about food safety and occupational health and safety was applied to manager of these businesses on February- July 2008. The data were analyzed by using SPSS (13.0).
RESULTS: The employee number was 3264 (median.23, min.3 ,max. 985), and 97.5% of them had health insurances. The mean working time was 8.5 hours in a day (min. 6,5 max.12,0). The 97.7% had responsible manager and 80.0% had occupational physician. In the 96.0% a baseline examination and periodic examinations were performed for workers. In the 44.0% risk analysis were performed and in the 64.0% an education about risks was given to employees. There was a food engineer in 90.0% of the businesses. Of the businesses 64.0% had a HACCP plan, 84.4% of them had given education about HACCP to employees and in the 93.8% critical control points were controlled. The 78.0% of businesses had any ISO certificate.
CONCLUSION: In this study it was determined that although inspections were performed by Ministry of Agriculture and Village Affairs, they were not regularly. The periodic examinations of employees were inadequate and irregular. The 50.0% of businesses had risk analysis and HACCP plan but their importance were not understood by the businesses and usually they were made for facilitating the exportation.

Key words: Occupational Health and Safety, Food Safety, HACCP

Article Language: Turkish English