Defra told to fix 'inadequate' Covid-19 guidance after Cranswick deaths

Three workers at a Cranswick factory in Barnsley died earlier this month after testing positive for coronavirus (Photo: Google Maps)
Three workers at a Cranswick factory in Barnsley died earlier this month after testing positive for coronavirus (Photo: Google Maps)

A union has called on Defra to open a dialogue with food manufacturers after workers at Cranswick's meat processing plant in Barnsley died of the coronavirus.

GMB has urged the department to address the 'inadequacy of the government's guidance' surrounding Covid-19 workplace safety.

The call comes after three workers at Cranswick's facility in Wombwell, Barnsley were confirmed to have died after testing positive for coronavirus.

They were part of the 1,200-strong workforce at the site 'maintaining vital supplies of fresh food into the supermarkets', the food giant said.

Cranswick said in a statement that the health and safety of its staff was its 'number one priority'.

Earlier this month, GMB wrote to Defra Secretary George Eustice and retailers raising concerns over issues in the supply chain that could lead to unnecessary deaths.

Since the letter was wrote there have been severe coronavirus outbreaks in meat and food plants in Ireland and the United States.

Eamon O'Hearn, GMB's national officer, said it was 'imperative' that Cranswick worked with the union to review operations and identify issues that could impact work safety.

"We really hope that they’ve been following GMB guidance on social distancing which is significantly more comprehensive that government guidance recently issued.

“We wrote to the Secretary of State for Defra about our concerns earlier this month, precisely because we wanted to avoid further deaths in our industry," he said.

“It's now crucial that Defra establishes a dialogue on the food and drink supply chain, including addressing the inadequacy of the government guidance issued last week."