OSHA Guidelines for Animal Slaughtering and Processing Industry
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APPLIES TO Employers with employees who work in animal slaughtering and processing |
EFFECTIVE October 15, 2024 |
QUESTIONS? Contact HR On-Call |
Quick Look
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Discussion:
On October 15, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released expanded guidance for OSHA inspections targeting employers in the animal slaughtering and processing industry. This new guidance supersedes a 2015 policy focused exclusively on poultry processing, reflecting the DOL’s conclusion that workers in this sector face high occupational risks, with injury rates significantly exceeding those of other industries.
Inspections conducted pursuant to this new guidance are to focus on many of the same hazards identified in the previous guidance while also addressing the hazards that may be the subject of the inspection. These “focus hazards” include sanitation and cleanup operations, ergonomics, personal protective equipment, lockout/tagout, machine guarding, and hazards associated with certain chemicals common to the industry. However, the new guidance adds recordkeeping as an additional area of focus. The new guidance also highlights new inspection procedures for Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs), including to:
- Conduct inspections during off-shift times to ensure that second and third-shift operations are covered;
- Include contractors and temporary workers who provide on-site sanitation services in the inspection;
- Observe workplace activities that may impact workers who are at most risk; and
- Review training efforts.
Action Items
- Prepare for inspections by evaluating sanitation processes, safety training programs, and policies for contract and temporary workers for compliance with OSHA standards.
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