US poultry workers injury rate at all-time low
The incidence of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in the US poultry sector, which includes slaughter and processing, is at an all-time low, according to the 2012 Injury and Illness Report recently released by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The total recordable poultry processing illness and injury rate for 2012 was 4.9 cases per 100 full-time workers (per year), down from 5.8 in 2011. In terms of injuries per 100 full time workers, the poultry industry’s rate of 4.9 was below the rate of 6.3 for all animal slaughter and processing and lower than the rate of 5.6 for the entire food manufacturing sector.
Poultry processing’s 2012 rate of 4.9 represents a 78% decrease from 1994 (the oldest data available on the BLS website), when the recorded rate was 22.7, demonstrating the enormous progress the industry has made in improving safety for its workforce.
“The significant and consistent decline in illness and injury rates among our workforce over the past two decades is a direct result of the poultry industry’s strong commitment to worker safety,” said National Chicken Council president Mike Brown. “Our employees are our most important asset. I commend poultry companies and their management teams for their tremendous efforts to protect them and for their ongoing dedication to further progress.”
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