Abattoir re-opens with small team after five COVID positives

A small crew was allowed back on site at Radford’s abattoir in Warragul yesterday after the meat works operation was shut down because of COVID positive staff last week.

Five production floor staff have now tested positive. Fifty staff were identified as tier one contacts, while a further 50 staff are considered tier two contacts.

But, with tier one contacts being re-tested on Friday, the abattoir was allowed to resume with a small team of double vaccinated staff who had all tested negative.

R. Radford and Son chief executive officer Paul Scanlon said a small crew of about 17 staff were back on site yesterday to process beef.

He said this enabled the production floor to work at about 50 per cent capacity.

“We are still processing lamb off site this week but we hope to get through about two thirds of our beef on site this week.

Mr Scanlon said the 14-day quarantine period would end this weekend, with the aim of having 80 to 90 per cent of the staff back by next Monday.

“It’s probably as good as we could expect from a bad situation,” he said.

Mr Scanlon said it had been a very challenging time for the business. He said a 14-day shutdown would have cost the company about $250,000 in lost production.

Two staff tested positive last weekend, followed by an additional three staff during the week.

Mr Scanlon said the positive results indicated a common link with the staff working on the production chain.

“On the production floor they are working side-by-side. We have our COVID safe plan in place, with all the right cleaning but in some areas it’s not possible to maintain the 1.5 metres.

“The positive cases have come from a similar part of the chain… they were working geographically closer together,” he said.

Mr Scanlon said Radfords had continued to process meat off site at three other Victorian abattoirs.

While this arrangement enabled them to continue serving Victorian customers, they had ceased supply to Sydney.

Mr Scanlon said this meant 40 per cent of their turnover had ceased.

Mr Scanlon said livestock was sent to three other abattoirs for slaughter and then the meat was brought back to the Warragul site for distribution.

He said load-out and truck staff were considered tier two contacts and had returned to work following negative tests.

Mr Scanlon said in recent weeks some abattoirs had been in similar positions and forced to look elsewhere for processing.

He said Radfords had recently processed on behalf of another abattoir and they have now unfortunately had to return the favour.

“Even though we are competitors, the industry has supported each other.

“Rob (Radford) has been in the industry a long time and has good relationships with other processors so we have been able to get these arrangements in place.

“It is very much appreciated and allows us to continue to supply our customers. But it does come at a cost with double handling,” he said.

Mr Scanlon said supervisors and managers were maintaining contact with staff to maintain communication and check on their health and wellbeing.

“We want to keep everyone up to date and help them access government support,” he said.