During the past week, OSHA has fined cited both Smithfield Foods and JBS for alleged exposure of workers to COVID-19. In the defense of members the NAMI notes the delays and confusion in specific standards released by the CDC in relation to social distancing, PPE and testing.
Julie Anna Potts, president and CEO of the NAMI stated, “Most importantly is the evidence in trends revealed in data collected by the Food and Environmental Reporting Network, these many programs and controls that were once in place worked and continue to work. Positive cases of COVID-19 associated with meat and poultry companies are trending down compared with cases nationwide.”
Regrettably the statement was not substantiated by data. It is also noted that OSHA action was taken with respect to conditions in plants that existed some months ago and the current situation, even if there is a decline, is not relevant to the time during which OSHA determined that alleged irregularities occurred. It is hoped that measures taken by members of NAMI are effective and that these have reduced incidence rates in red meat plants.
The chicken industry was extremely proactive in introducing protective measures and as yet there have not been any Federal OSHA citations announced for poultry plants.