June 2, 2015
WINESBURG, Ohio
Less than two years after
agreeing to address safety violations in a settlement agreement with the
U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, Case Farms Processing Inc. exposed workers to the same dangerous machinery hazards at its Winesburg facility.
OSHA found one willful, four repeated, one serious and one other-than-serious violation
at the facility during two follow-up inspections, which cited the
company for 23 safety violations in 2011. OSHA initiated the follow-up
inspections to verify that previously cited hazards had been corrected
at the facility. The chicken producing and processing company faces
proposed penalties of $126,500.
"Case Farms Processing continues to demonstrate that the safety and
health of its workers is not a corporate priority," said Deborah Zubaty,
area director of OSHA's Columbus office. "This inspection demonstrates
that the company has failed to meet the goals outlined in the 2013
agreement. This is a disheartening setback for worker safety at this
company."
OSHA's inspection found that machinery lacked proper safety mechanisms and workers faced amputation hazards
while operating saws and grinders.
Additionally, sanitation workers
were not included in company audits concerning machines starting up
during service and maintenance. The company also failed to maintain an
accurate log of worker injuries and illnesses. Machine hazards are one
of the most frequently cited OSHA standards.
View the current citations at
- http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/CaseFarmsProcessingInc_1011044.pdf*
- http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/CaseFarmsProcessingInc_1011038.pdf*
Headquartered in Morganton, North Carolina, Case Farms Processing
operates facilities in Canton, Strasburg and Massillon, as well as
Dudley, Goldsboro, Mount Olive and Troutman, North Carolina. The company
processes 2.8 million chickens per week. It has more than 3,200
employees and produces more than 900 million pounds of fresh, partially
cooked and frozen-for-export poultry products yearly.
Case Farms Processing has been inspected by OSHA 26 times, resulting in the issuance of multiple safety and health violations.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and
penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area
director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint or
report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing
imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free
hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the Columbus Area Office at
614-469-5582.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970,
employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces
for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for
America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and
providing training, education and assistance. For more information,
visit http://www.osha.gov.