OSHA Updates Safety Guidelines for Animal Slaughtering, Processing Workers
The agency’s expanded guidance now governs inspections in animal processing facilities, aiming to address high injury rates, hazardous conditions and language barriers.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Nov 05, 2024
OSHA recently issued new guidelines to improve safety inspections, specifically in animal slaughtering and processing facilities. Previously, the guidance in question applied only to poultry processing, but OSHA’s updates now cover the broader meat processing industry, aiming to reduce high rates of injury and illness among workers.
According to a recent release, the guidance responds to employer-reported data that workers in meat and poultry processing are twice as likely to experience serious injuries as other industries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported in 2022 that the rate of occupational illnesses in these industries was six times higher than the national average. Common hazards include carpal tunnel syndrome, high noise levels, exposure to dangerous equipment, slippery surfaces, and handling hazardous chemicals.
Workers in this industry include employees with limited English proficiency, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), which has also documented an increase in young workers. These children are often assigned to high-risk maintenance and cleaning shifts. OSHA’s guidance emphasizes safety inspections around key risk areas, such as sanitation procedures, ergonomic practices, energy control and machine guarding.
OSHA believes these new measures better protect workers by ensuring inspections are done across all shifts and include contractors as well as temporary workers. Multilingual training will ensure clear communication of safety protocols. More information on how OSHA aims to protect workers in these industries is available on the agency’s website.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.