- January 21, 2019
- Posted by: Sage Shield Safety Consultants
- Category: Overseas Occupational Health And Safety News

The federal government shutdown formally became the longest in U.S. history on January 12. If you’re looking for info on what FDA is able to do during the shutdown to continue safeguarding the safety of U.S. foods, the constant stream of tweets, with one thread, in specific, offering a view of what the firm is doing:
“SHUTDOWN UPDATE: The lapse in financing represents one of the most significant operational obstacles in FDA’s recent history. However as a firm, we’re devoted to satisfying our customer protection required, to the finest of our capabilities, under our current configuration.
“We evaluated activities with close input from senior career leaders & & public health experts. Our strategies always included activities to address instant hazards to human life & & safety. But as lapse continues we’re assessing extra activities we need to except to avoid dangers.
“FDA determined after cautious analysis and in close assessment with senior profession leaders and public health experts that the following activities should be considered excepted, unsettled work since they’re essential to recognize and react to risks to security of human life:
“The extra activities might be thought about excepted work throughout a shutdown. Given the prolonged shutdown and intensifying threat as time accrues; FDA is working to operationalize additional activities that exceed what we have actually carried out in past shutdown circumstances. Activities include:
From this, it appears that, as Gottlieb likewise mentions, “It is not business as normal at FDA.” While many essential functions are unable to be done, the agency is concentrating on “maintaining core activities that directly effect consumer safety and conserve lives.”
Nevertheless, the longer the shutdown continue, the even worse it is likely to get, as any non-immment-threat activities are operated just under carryover user costs, which Gottlieb said will last just one to 2 months. After that more employees might be furloughed.Follow Gottlieb on Twitter at @SGottliebFDA.
Source
https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/europe-food-safety-system-overstretched/