OSHA Poultry Processing Initiative Survey

OSHA Survey u Conducted jointly with Wage and Hour u Wage and Hour concerns –Many minimum wage or overtime violations –Low-wage, increasingly immigrant workforce, with high turnover rates –Changing industry with rapidly expanding production and employment

Rationale for OSHA Poultry Processing Initiative u Discrepancy between BLS injury and illness data and OSHA citations u Opportunity to foster compliance through outreach and the survey process u Identify safety and health hazards in the industry

OSHA Survey Elements u Identified the survey universe u Selected the survey sample u Designed the survey instrument u Held stakeholder meetings u Trained the investigators u Conducted the survey u Analyzed the data

OSHA Survey - Hazards Evaluated u Slips and trips u Struck by or against, caught between u Falls u Electricity u Ergonomics u Health hazards - skin, lungs, noise u Emergency procedures u Confined spaces u Other

OSHA Survey - Procedure u Evaluation of recordkeeping u Walkaround u Employee interviews u Evaluation of Safety and Health Program

OSHA Survey Findings - Types of Injuries and Illnesses u 40% of total injuries are due to back injuries –Includes both acute (slips and trips) and chronic u 10% of worker illnesses were the result of cumulative traumas (repetitive motion) u Contusions and fractures are 15% of injuries u Cuts and lacerations are 10% of injuries

OSHA Survey Findings - Workplace Hazards u Slippery floors from water and poultry fat/grease –Back injuries, strains, sprains u Narrow walkways and crowded workspace hinder movement –Strains, sprains, contusions, back injuries, struck by or against u Manually moving objects –Strains, sprains, back injuries, struck by or against

OSHA Survey Findings - Workplace Hazards (cont’d) u Use of knives in crowded work areas –Lacerations and cuts u Cumulative trauma disorders from repetitive motions in the cutting operations –Tendonitis, carpal tunnel disorders

OSHA Survey Findings - Summary u Over 75% of worker injuries and illnesses were due to –Back and repetitive motion injuries and illnesses –Cuts or lacerations –Struck by or against an object –Slips, trips, or falls

OSHA Survey Findings - Factors Contributing to Injuries/Illnesses u Safety and health personnel with collateral duties, little time devoted to health and safety u Inadequate hazard evaluation for PPE u Workers required to pay for PPE, including hearing protection u Crowded working conditions u Training and language barriers

OSHA Survey Findings - General Observations u Emergency action plans adequate but deficiencies in drills and training u PSM - industry appears to be just ”learning” about requirements u Lockout/tagout not fully implemented in many facilities u Lack of health-related hazard identification except for noise u Recordkeeping good if a nurse was present

OSHA Survey Findings - General Observations (cont’d) u Worst jobs are in chicken catching and live hanging u Industry contracting out hazardous jobs such as confined space, chicken catching, live hanging, maintenance, and sanitation u Industry aware of repetitive motion hazards but has done little to correct identified hazards