Following an inspection of a Delaware poultry plant, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found nine worker-related safety violations and proposed a penalty of $38,000. According to OSHA, the poultry processor, Allen Harim Foods LLC in Harbeson, DE, has been exposing poultry plant workers on the debone line to musculoskeletal injuries. Workers on the line were found to be cutting chicken fat, bone and cartilage for eight hours a day, a process commonly associated with hand and joint disorders and injuries. The company was also found to lack proper medical treatment for employee injuries and to underreport worker injuries, according to OSHA. “These types of injuries can be prevented by implementing appropriate engineering and administrative controls in the workplace, and when they occur, they must be treated early with appropriate medical care to prevent the illness from progressing,” said Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, in a statement. In addition to the citations for failures to address worker injury hazards, the company was also cited for failing to ensure proper employee training on machinery and for not designating emergency exits. Approximately 960 employees work in the company’s Harbeson plant. The company has 15 business days to respond to the citations.
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