Preventive Controls and Compliance Inc.’s Post

Child labor and food safety have plagued our society for far too long. It's disheartening that despite the existence of child labor laws and food safety regulations, these problems persist. It's clear that much work must be done to address these challenges. These are complex issues that will take time to solve. But that doesn't mean we should give up. We must continue to work towards finding solutions and making progress. Let's continue the conversation and work towards a future in which child labor and food safety are no longer major concerns. Matt Regusci Jonathan Needham #ChildLabor #FoodSafety

Child labor is a serial offense, and does not bode well for food safety Child labor and food fraud are food manufacturing activities that don’t bode well for food safety. Food fraud comes and goes, but child labor just continues to build, with the food industry losing any embarrassment it once had for employing children. And in a new twist, more food companies may resist child labor enforcement.  Action by the U.S. Department of Labor against food companies employing children has become routine. Earlier this month, the Labor Department accused a Los Angeles poultry company with using child labor and then hiding its product. Federal labor officials are getting more creative in their investigations. In cases associated with the Fu Qian Chen Lu poultry companies, they seek to get the money forfeited from the money made from child labor. They claim the children were employed in dangerous jobs. Nothing, however, comes easily in child labor litigation. A lawyer for Chen Lu claims underage employees were planted by the labor department, an accusation denied by the federal agency. A federal judge in Los Angeles saw fit to issue a temporary restraining order favorite Department of Labor (DOL) in the case. A company attorney claims child labor enforcement “does more harm than good.” DOL sought to end “oppressive” child labor. And the number of child labor investigations continues to grow. DOL reports 34 child labor investigations in California alone involving 103 children employed in violation of labor laws. The frequency of child labor in the food industry surfaced last year when 13 meat plants in eight states contracting with Packers Sanitation Services paid fines totaling $1.5 million for putting children in critical and often dangerous food safety jobs. The Fair Labor Standards Act bans children younger than 18 from working in dangerous occupations, including most jobs in meat and poultry slaughtering, processing, rendering, and packing establishments. Many of child labor violations appear to be on the horizon for the regulated meat industry, According to the Economic Policy Institute, child labor violations have increased by nearly 300 percent since 2015, and the Labor Department found more than 800 violators during the past fiscal year.  Without any adequate southern border, thousands of minors have been waived into the United States and often owe debts to criminal cartels, which make them targets of human trafficking schemes.  Homeland Security is also reportedly investigating industries likely involved in those schemes, and the meat industry is on that list. Meanwhile, state child labor laws are continually under review, usually by those who want to make it easier for teenagers to work During the current legislative session, Kentucky adopted House Bill 255, upping the hours 16 and 17-year-olds can work to 30 hours during the school week; the previous limit was six.

With a recent outbreak in recalls due to listeria and foodborne illnesses, we would like to highlight the importance of food safety. Check your fridge for recalled items and follow these tips: - Cook meat to safe temperatures using a thermometer. - Wash kitchen surfaces and hands thoroughly. - Keep your fridge at the proper temperature. - Use or dispose of food promptly to avoid spoilage. Stay informed with FDA and USDA updates. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, give us a call at (914) 268-6996 or (929) 930-2626, or complete our online contact form. #lawyer #law #attorney #legal #lawfirm #lawyers #lawyersofinstagram #personalinjury #attorneyatlaw #attorneys #westchester #westchesterny #westchestercounty #914 #whiteplains⠀

The situation surrounding #foodpoisoning of children in South Africa is #dire, with the tragic loss of far too many young lives across the country. The response from the #SouthAfricanGovernment and the South African Local Government Association has been grossly inadequate, exposing failures on multiple fronts. #CRITICAL_FAILURES: #TargetingVulnerableCommunities: #Foreignownedtuckshops and #unqualifiedfoodvendors frequently sell unsafe food products in impoverished Black neighborhoods, exploiting these communities while neglecting their health and safety. The lack of stringent regulation enables these establishments to operate without accountability. #LackofHygiene: Many vendors lack access to clean water or proper sanitation, drastically increasing the risk of contamination. #Lack_of_Enforcement_from_the_Small_Businesses_Ministry: There has been a glaring failure to enforce legal requirements for tuck shops operating in South Africa. Despite the Ministry being in existence for over 10 years and relevant court rulings, unregulated businesses continue to thrive, often at the expense of public health. #RegulatoryGaps: Enforcement of food safety regulations remains weak, allowing unqualified vendors to continue operations without oversight. #InadequateTrackingMechanisms: There is no robust system in place to track food sold by these establishments, even in well-known retailers. This makes it difficult to trace sources of contamination and hold violators accountable. #InsufficientFoodInspectors: The shortage of trained food inspectors severely hampers efforts to enforce health regulations. Without regular inspections, unsafe practices often go unchecked. #Corruption: Reports of corruption within regulatory bodies further complicate the enforcement of food safety laws, allowing substandard operations to continue unpunished. #PresidentialActionNeeded: The #President must urgently address this crisis by acknowledging the rising number of child deaths linked to #foodpoisoning and committing to a comprehensive action plan. #THIS_SHOULD_INCLUDE: #A_National_Food_Safety_Task_Force: Establish a dedicated team to tackle food safety issues, focusing on holding foreign-owned businesses accountable. #PublicHealthCampaigns: Launch campaigns to educate communities about food safety, encouraging them to report violations. #Collaboration_with_Law_Enforcement: Ensure that law enforcement works alongside health inspectors to shut down illegal operations and prosecute those who endanger #publichealth. The time for action is now. The President, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa must lead with urgency and transparency, making it clear that the safety of South African children is non-negotiable. The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa Aaron Motsoaledi Department of Health South Africa South African Police Service (SAPS) South African National Defence Force #SouthAfricanHumanRightsCommission #ThinkingOutLoud

FSSAI Notification Alert!! 🚨 🚨 FSSAI has announced the changes in the penalties for offenses. Read here in detail https://lnkd.in/gCyegx2y #fssai #fssainotification #foodsafety #regulatorycompliance #noncompliance #penalty #unsafefood #foodbusiness #india #foodmanufacturing #foodprocessing #foodstorage #foodretail #foodexport #foodandbeverageindustry #catering #foodsafetyworks #stayupdated

From our co-founding partner Darrell Cochran: We are clearly approaching a crash in food safety we haven't seen since the days of Upton Sinclair's novel The Jungle. These two recent widespread failings of the food safety system are literally and figuratively gut wrenching (and just the latest in an ever-increasing series of dangerous violations.) https://lnkd.in/g-Q8nngi... https://lnkd.in/gKGzndK4... Where have our watchdogs at the USDA and elsewhere gone?! And why has enforcement of food safety regulations continued to decline and put us all in danger? Enough! If the government doesn't have the courage or concern to do its job and protect our health and wellbeing, then it's up to us to step in and utilize the power of the legal system. I am more than willing to charge ahead and start suing and doing whatever else is necessary to protect us all.

The Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) has published a new OSHA Hazard Alert on Severe Injuries in the Food Processing Industry. This new Hazard Alert is for employers, contractors, staffing agencies, and employees in the food processing industry, including cleaning and maintenance shifts, to increase awareness and help ensure the industry is taking action to reduce the alarming number of serious preventable injuries, including deaths, in poultry, meat and other food processing establishments. https://lnkd.in/gm4qzZEH

Food Processing: Severe Injuries in the Food Processing Industry Hazard Alert. This alert is directed to employers, contractors, staffing agencies and employees in the food processing industry, including cleaning and maintenance shifts, to increase awareness and help ensure the industry is taking action to reduce the alarming number of serious preventable injuries, including deaths, in poultry, meat and other food processing establishments. https://loom.ly/UCMffKE #osha #worksafety #foodprocessingindustry #preventinjuries #safeatwork #injuryprevention

The PhilGap certification program has four modules: food safety, environmental management, worker's welfare, and produce quality. Of these, the food safety module ensures that agricultural products are free from harmful contaminants and residues. To support my food safety advocacy.. please like and share.

16 Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses in October. The Enforcement Orders were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive. Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in October include: rat infestation; significant build-up of rodent droppings; presence of fruit and drain flies; live maggots on old food residue; extensive rodent droppings; no wash hand basin with hot and cold water for food workers; an inaccessible wash hand basin; a complete lack of cleaning; accumulation of grease and food debris; dirty food contact equipment; lack of adequate food storage and contamination prevention procedures; persistent and historical failure to comply with food law; no evidence of a food safety management system. To read the full press release, please see here: https://ow.ly/Af1F50U5011 #FoodSafety #EnvironmentalHealth