US poultry companies recognised for safety performance
Companies to receive an award of distinction included: Butterball’s Ozark, Hunstville and Carthage processing sites, Cargill Turkey & Cooked Meats processing site in Waco, Keystone Foods, and Perdue Farms.
Their efforts were rewarded due to the implementation of "innovative and effective employee safety and health programs", according to the National Chicken Council (NCC).
The awards were presented at the annual National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry, in Destin, Florida.
The safety council is made up of members of the US Poultry & Egg Association, NCC and National Turkey Federation.
"The 2014 awards program resulted in a record number of award recipients despite more stringent requirements to qualify, further highlighting the industry’s commitment to workplace safety," said the NCC.
"The notable and constant decrease in illness and injury rates among poultry’s workforce over the last two decades is a direct consequence of their dedication to worker safety."
The total recordable poultry processing illness and injury rate for 2012 was 4.9 cases per 100 full-time workers per year, this was down on the previous year’s rate of 5.8 per 100 workers.
