How is worker safety assured in the meat packing and poultry processing industries?
Worker safety is a key concern of companies in meatpacking and poultry processing. According to federal statistics, worker safety has continued to improve in terms of employee injuries, illnesses, and accidental death. Although no accidental death is acceptable, the industry has made tremendous strides in improving worker safety. The meat packing industry made worker safety a noncompetitive issue in 1990 and, together with the Occupational and Safety Health Administration (OSHA) and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, released voluntary ergonomic guidelines for the meat industry. These were the first industry specific ergonomic guidelines and were hailed as a model for other industries. Similarly, under terms of an agreement signed by the poultry industry and OSHA in November 2007, companies in the chicken and turkey industries have worked together with OSHA to implement a new alliance on worker safety, especially concerning machinery hazards. Under the agreement the industri
Worker safety is a key concern of companies in meatpacking and poultry processing. According to federal statistics, worker safety has continued to improve in terms of employee injuries, illnesses, and accidental death. Although no accidental death is acceptable, the industry has made tremendous strides in improving worker safety. The meat packing industry made worker safety a noncompetitive issue in 1990 and, together with the Occupational and Safety Health Administration (OSHA) and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, released voluntary ergonomic guidelines for the meat industry. These were the first industry specific ergonomic guidelines and were hailed as a model for other industries. Similarly, under terms of an agreement signed by the poultry industry and OSHA in November 2007, companies in the chicken and turkey industries have worked together with OSHA to implement a new alliance on worker safety, especially concerning machinery hazards. Under the agreement the industri
