OSHA settles with meat processing facilities over COVID safety

Four affiliated meat processing facilities that were investigated for alleged COVID-19 safety failures will have to create an infectious disease preparedness plan and pay a $14,502 fine, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Friday.

Following two inspections in April and May 2020, OSHA cited Swift Beef Co. in Greeley, Colorado, and JBS Green Bay Inc. in Green Bay, Wisconsin — part of JBS Foods USA Inc. — for failure to protect workers from coronavirus hazards at four locations that saw COVID-19 outbreaks and, in some cases, employee hospitalizations and deaths.

JBS Foods subsidiaries and affiliates must now assemble a team of company and third-party experts to develop and implement an infectious disease preparedness plan for seven of its meat processing facilities.

The team will include subject-matter experts recommended by OSHA and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which represents the workers at the covered facilities.