A recent Wallb Street Journal article criticized the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for a lack of response to reports of worker deaths due to COVID in packing plants allegedly attributed to “workplace transmission”. In 2020 OSHA received 72 percent more complaints than in 2019, but performed only 12 percent of the required inspections with six percent directly attributed to COVID-19.
Evaluation of workplace conditions with regard to COVID-19 was complicated by the reality that during the period of high incidence extending from March through May, the Centers for Disease Control failed to establish definitive guidelines to protect workers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration did not develop standards until the infection was contained by proactive and responsive action by employers. These included provision of PPE, staggering shifts, improving ventilation, health screening and testing and placing barriers between workstations.
On April 28th 2020, President Trump signed an Executive Order to maintain poultry and meat processing facilities open during the COVID-19 national emergency. The Executive Order required management of plants to apply appropriate protective measures and the order did not absolve management from negligence or willful disregard of the health of workers.