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Safety and Health Topics |
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| Poultry Processing |
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In
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This page addresses the hazards in the poultry processing industry. This industry can
be divided into two stages each with its own particular hazards. The first stage is the
raising of live birds to the desired weight, delivery to the processing plant and
preparing the live birds for slaughtering. The second stage is the slaughtering,
processing, and packaging of the birds. Major hazards in the first stage are generally
respiratory hazards resulting from exposure to organic dusts (litter, manure, dander) and
ammonia. These are controlled using ventilation and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Additional hazards include those associated with agricultural machinery, feed delivery
systems, waste removal systems, and ergonomic hazards especially as birds are prepared for
slaughtering. A potentially significant hazard is the presence of microbiologicals and
endotoxins in the organic dusts. In the second stage, common elements in an effective
safety and health program include control of ergonomic hazards to prevent cumulative
trauma disorders, machine guarding and PPE to prevent cuts, care of walking/working
surfaces to reduce trips and falls, design and maintenance of electrical systems, and
lockout/tagout procedures to prevent accidental startup of machinery.
The following questions link
to information relevant to poultry
processing.
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What OSHA standards
apply?
Standards | Standard Interpretations |
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What are some examples of hazards and solutions in this industry?
General | Electrical | Ergonomics | Lockout/Tagout | More |
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What additional information is available? |
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In Focus |
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Hot Topics
eTools
-
 Poultry
Processing Industry. OSHA. Focuses on identifying
and controlling major hazards that contributed to the high rates of
injuries found in a recent OSHA
Survey of the industry. Other serious hazards are also discussed. Examples
used are from the processing of chickens, but may be applicable
to other bird processing.
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