The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has taken note of changes in pork production facilities over the last few years and increased the number of inspections.
According to Ron McGill, OSHA area director for Tennessee and Kentucky, 18 inspections were performed by federal level OSHA officials in the period between October 2004 and May 2006. Eleven of the operations inspected were found to be noncompliant at a cost of approximately $20,000 in penalties to each operation.
Citations at production sites include failure to have appropriate guarding on farm equipment; lack of or inadequate personal protective equipment provided to employees; inappropriate protection in floors and wall openings, such as railings or walls; problems in grain handling facilities; faulty electrical wiring methods; lack of hazard communications, such as emergency evacuation signage; and inappropriate use of lock out/ tag out processes.
The National Pork Board has a resource for producers interested in starting a worker safety training program for employees. The system includes training materials, checklists, employee handbooks and digital media for on-farm use. The Pork Production Safety System kit is now available with translation for Spanish speaking employees. You can order the Pork Production Safety System materials by calling the Pork Store at (866) 490-5480 or accessing the pork store from the www.pork.org Web site.
For more information, contact Liz Wagstrom, LWagstrom@pork.org, or (515) 223-2633.
Source: Pork Magazine