OSHA zeroes in on animal slaughtering, processing industries

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Wednesday released expanded guidance for animal slaughtering and processing industry inspections, targeting enforcement for operations it says tends to employ non-English-speaking and underage workers.

OSHA said the goal of the updated guidance for animal slaughtering and processing industries is to “significantly reduce injuries and illnesses that result from occupational hazards through a combination of enforcement, compliance assistance and outreach.”

Under the guidance, OSHA inspections in these establishments will focus on hazards associated with sanitation and cleanup operations, ergonomics, hazardous energy and machine guarding, among others.

According to employer-reported data, meat and poultry workers suffer serious injuries at double the rate of other workers. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate occupational illness cases reported in the animal slaughtering and processing industry were six times higher than the average for all industries in 2022. At the same time, the rate of carpal tunnel syndrome in this industry was more than seven times the national average.

These workers also face other serious hazards, such as exposure to high noise levels, dangerous equipment and machinery, slippery floors, hazardous chemicals and biological hazards associated with handling animals, according to OSHA.