The Hazards Involved in Poultry Processing – St. Louis Work Comp Attorneys

Workers involved in poultry processing are more susceptible to injuries than many workers in other industries.

Every industry involves some level of risk. However, the poultry industry poses much greater challenges for workers. They may not only fall sick due to their job, but a fall in the workplace may cause a severe injury to them. They may lose a finger or even a limb. Moreover, they may become impaired permanently as continuous exposure to noise may deprive them of their hearing ability. In this post, our St. Louis work injury lawyer will discuss some hazards involved in poultry processing.

Great Demand for Poultry

The poultry industry has been expanding very fast. There is a great demand for poultry. It is estimated that 10.5 million birds are slaughtered every week. Though the industry is progressing, the workers involved in poultry processing face many risks.

Work-Related Illnesses

Poultry plants are often dirty because of the nature of the work. The environment is not at all hygienic and is very risky for health reasons. The abundant presence of bacteria can cause illness. Besides this, there is often animal tissue lying around. The chemicals used to clean the mess are not conducive to health. So the workers may face health complications and fall sick due to their job.

OSHA states that the rate of worker illness in the poultry industry is six times more than the other industries.

Injuries Caused in the Workplace

The work in the poultry industry is high-paced.  Dangerous equipment and heavy machines are used. This makes the workers involved in poultry processing more susceptible to injuries than many workers in other industries.

Workers may suffer deep cuts on their arms or hands and lacerations on any part of the body. Sometimes they even lose their fingers or hands.

They can also develop repetitive motion injuries due to repetitive nature of their work. Continuous and repetitive actions can  lead to the inflammation of tendons, tendon sheath, or cartilage. They suffer injuries due to overuse, for example, they may suffer rotator cuff injuries.

Hearing Impairment

In the poultry industry, the workers are regularly exposed to loud noises. Many of them are not aware that their hearing ability is declining day by day. By the time they realize what is happening, it is often too late. They cannot afford to pay for the hearing aids or a surgery. Many of them lose their hearing ability altogether.

Accidents in Poultry Processing Industry

Workers often have to work in a place where the passages are narrow and the floors are slippery. Blood, water, other liquids and poultry body parts are scattered all over the place. It is very easy to slip and fall in such an environment. These falls can be very dangerous because all around there are metal machines with sharp edges. Such accidents can cause traumatic brain injuries, broken bones and soft tissue damage.

It is very important to take some steps to improve the working conditions in the poultry industries and therefore reduce work-related injuries.