Cal/OSHA Cites Poultry Plant for COVID-19 Violations

Cal/OSHA Cites Poultry Plant for COVID-19 Violations

Foster Farms and staffing agencies at its Livingston facility failed to protect employees from COVID-19.

  • By Shereen Hashem
  • May 27, 2021

Cal/OSHA cited Foster Poultry Farms, Inc. in its Livingston facility and four staffing agencies for not protecting workers from COVID-19. The investigation opened after notice that an employee died from the disease’s complications. Cal/OSHA subsequently determined that Foster Farms and one of its staffing agencies did not report the fatality in a timely manner as required.

Cal/OSHA also opened a separate investigation at the facility’s distribution center. Foster Farms utilized employees from other staffing agencies that were also cited for COVID-19 violations. You can see the complete chart of the employers and industries here.

According to a press release, Foster Farms was cited $103,100 for five serious, one repeat regulatory and two regulatory violations at the Livingston plant. The distribution center was cited $78,400 for three serious, one repeat regulatory and two regulatory violations. The serious violations issued by Cal/OSHA were related to Injury and Illness Prevention Programs which stemmed from failure to communicate, correct, assess and train on COVID-19 workplace hazards.

Guidance and resources were created by Cal/OSHA to help employers know their role in protecting their workers from COVID-19. This includes a Prevention Program, COVID-19 information page and free webinars for certain industries from Cal/OSHA Consultation Services.

Complaints about workplace safety and health hazards can be filed here.

About the Author

Shereen Hashem is the Associate Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety magazine.

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