Worker Health & Safety Takeaways
Takeaways are key points detailed and referenced in the Health and Safety section
Livestock and Poultry Slaughter & Processing Jobs
Jobs in slaughter and processing are unusually hazardous, involving large animals, dangerous machinery, slippery floors, sharp knives, and exposure to chemicals, extreme temperatures, and high noise levels.
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are likely the greatest risk to both livestock and poultry workers due to the fast pace and the strenuous, repetitive nature of the work.
Contact with pathogens in animal blood and feces heightens the risk of infections; high levels of antimicrobials are also a hazard, especially in poultry plants.
Experienced researchers along with worker interviews point to an association between faster slaughter line speeds and more worker injuries; two recent USDA reports did not confirm this conclusion, though they did report that the unusually high injury rates are significantly correlated with higher “piece rate” work, mostly on secondary (processing) lines.
The agency tasked with worker safety (OSHA) has no authority to regulate line speeds. Neither the USDA nor OSHA regulates secondary (processing) line speeds.
Factory Farm Workers
The main cause of injuries is interaction with large animals; the main cause of illness comes from pathogens and emissions from manure.
Respiratory illness is common due to inhalation of particulate matter containing bacteria, fecal matter, and other toxins.
Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions from manure in confined areas have been shown to cause respiratory diseases.
Workers on dairy and hog factory farms are susceptible to severe injury or death when working in or near manure storage systems.
Dairy farms are the most dangerous operations because of worker proximity to large animals, enclosed manure storage systems, and a vulnerable, often un-trained, non-English speaking workforce.
Injury Undercounts for a Precarious Workforce
Animal ag workers make up the quintessential precarious workforce; many workers face language barriers, are undocumented, are economically insecure, and have little bargaining power or regulatory protections.
Precarious workers tend to underreport injuries and illnesses; their employers have financial incentives to underreport as well.
Slaughter & processing worker injury and illness rates are vastly underestimated by the BLS and OSHA. Based on government reports and surveys, refereed journal reports, and non-profit reporting, the actual incidence rates are many times higher.
Injuries and illnesses to workers on factory farms are likely the most undercounted due to the small-farm exemption of data gathering by federal agencies and the exceptionally high percentage of foreign-born or undocumented workers who are reluctant to report injuries.