State-of-arts saws installed

Alliance Group is spending $3.4 million on new processing technology as part of its programme to improve health and safety.

Forty-nine band-saws featuring state-of-the-art safe-cutting technology have been installed at eight plants, including Pukeuri, Makarewa, Mataura and Lorneville in the South.

Designed specifically for the meat industry, the band-saws were designed to stop the blade within 15 milliseconds when the unit sensed a person, glove or both were in close proximity or in contact with the saw.

That significantly reduced the risk of potential injury with the risk limited to, at worst, a small cut.

The use of standard band-saws was one of the highest-risk activities world-wide, chief executive David Surveyor said.