USPOULTRY’s 2017 Poultry Protein & Fat Seminar brought together rendering professionals in Kansas City, Mo., to learn about industry-related topics covering areas such as wastewater treatment challenges, sanitary transportation and the cost of safety incidents. Also as part of the seminar, attendees were able to tour nearby equipment manufacturing companies that gave overviews of the processes involved when equipment is sent in for rebuild and answered questions about preventative maintenance tips and techniques for optimal equipment operations.
During his presentation on the “True Cost of Safety Incidents,” James Howry, principle research associate with the Georgia Tech Research Institute, provided a realistic view of the direct and indirect costs associated with injuries that occur in the workplace. Medical expenses, legal services and worker’s compensation costs are just a few of the expenses that come along with avoidable injuries or fatal accidents. Howry stressed the importance of a return on investment formula that can be used to determine if facilities would benefit from adding personal protective equipment to their safety programs to help offset the costs of injuries in the workplace.
Clifford Lange, associate professor at Auburn University, examined the effects of quaternary ammonia compounds (QAC) on wastewater operations. Lange focused on the species and quantities of quaternary ammonia compounds that can be found in poultry wastewater and rendering effluents. He emphasized the effects of these QAC’s within aerobic and anaerobic wastewater treatment processes, followed by recommendations on how to reduce them in wastewater.
Michele Sayles, executive director of food safety and quality with Diamond Pet Food, discussed case studies on sanitary transportation and adhering to Food Safety Modernization Act regulations associated with the Safety Transportation Rule. Sayles addressed several techniques and methods that will help prevent failure to properly refrigerate food, inadequate cleaning of vehicles between loads and failure to properly protect food. She provided information on groups affected by the rule that have collaborated to produce guidance documents on industry best practices and training materials relating to the final rule that was enacted in 2016.
