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Safety and Health Topics: |
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| Poultry Processing |
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This page addresses the hazards in the poultry processing industry. This industry can
be divided into two stages each with its own particular hazards. The first stage is the
raising of live birds to the desired weight, delivery to the processing plant and
preparing the live birds for slaughtering. The second stage is the slaughtering,
processing, and packaging of the birds. Major hazards in the first stage are generally
respiratory hazards resulting from exposure to organic dusts (litter, manure, dander) and
ammonia. These are controlled using ventilation and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Additional hazards include those associated with agricultural machinery, feed delivery
systems, waste removal systems, and ergonomic hazards especially as birds are prepared for
slaughtering. A potentially significant hazard is the presence of microbiologicals and
endotoxins in the organic dusts. In the second stage, common elements in an effective
safety and health program include control of ergonomic hazards to prevent cumulative
trauma disorders, machine guarding and PPE to prevent cuts, care of walking/working
surfaces to reduce trips and falls, design and maintenance of electrical systems, and
lockout/tagout procedures to prevent accidental startup of machinery.
Related Safety and Health Topics
General
- Safety and Health
professionals in the poultry industry. Speech by Charles N. Jeffress, Assistant
Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health (1998, September 17), 4 pages.
- Hudson Foods, Missouri
Poultry Processor, Faces $332,500 Fine For Safety Violations. OSHA News Release (1997,
July 22), 2 pages.
- Contracting
Occupationally Related Psittacosis. OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin (1994, August 8), 1 page.
Common Operations and Hazards
Poultry
Processing Industry - This eTool focuses on identifying
and controlling major hazards that contributed to the high rates of
injuries found in a recent OSHA
Survey of the industry. Other serious hazards are also discussed. Examples
used in this advisor are from the processing of chickens, but may be applicable
to other bird processing.
Personal Protective Equipment
- OSHA Standard Interpretations and Compliance Letters
Machine Guarding
Ergonomics
Lockout/Tagout
Compliance
- General
- For the fiscal year of October 1997 through September 1998, Electrical standards
accounted for 14% of the citations issued under SIC code 2015 (Poultry Slaughtering and
Processing). This was only exceeded by Hazardous Materials (14.5%) and was followed by
Process Safety Management (13%) and General Environmental Controls (10%).
- Personal Protective Equipment
- OSHA Standard Interpretations and Compliance Letters
- Machine Guarding
- Lockout/Tagout
- Lockout/Tagout
Citations Against the USDA. OSHA Standard Interpretations and Compliance Letters
(1995, June 13), 3 pages. The FSIS is required to comply with 29 CFR 1910.147 in its
entirety and must have a written lockout/tagout program covering each FSIS workplace.
- Review Commission and Administrative Law Judge Decisions
The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) is an
independent Federal agency created to decide contests of citations or
penalties resulting from OSHA inspections of American work places. To
locate decisions related to this topic, search for keywords at the OSHRC
site.
- What are the most common citations OSHA compliance officers issue for this
industry?
Search for the most frequently cited Federal and State OSHA
standards for this industry by SIC code and jurisdiction (Federal or by individual
States). Enter your own SIC code,
find a SIC code of interest by accessing the online SIC Manual, or use one of the
following pre-selected SIC codes (returns only citations issued by Federal OSHA):
- 201 - Meat Products
- 025 - Poultry And Eggs
Other
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| Revised: 24 June 2003 |
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