OSHA last cited a meatpacking company for ergonomic safety issues during the Obama administration. But the agency broke its pattern in December when it issued a rare citation against Seaboard Foods of Guymon, Oklahoma, for exposing its workers to dangerous repetitive movements.
The company contested the citation, and after months of negotiation, it reached a settlement with OSHA. The agency reduced the fine, but the ergonomics citation still stands. Seaboard will have to take steps to make work safer for some of its employees.
In September, we reported on how Seaboard handled its workers’ injuries. Several employees told us that when they sustained injuries from the repetitive motions of the job, they were denied proper medical care, punished for missing work, and, in some cases, fired.
— Madison McVan, reporter
In rare case, a large meatpacking plant is being forced to address workers’ repetitive motion injuries | Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest
One of the U.S.'s most productive pork processing plants is being forced to restructure part of its workspace to prevent the repetitive motion injuries that plague meatpacking workers.
EPA watchdog launches probe into incidents linked to popular Seresto pet collar | Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest
In early 2021, we and our partner USA TODAY revealed the EPA had collected tens of thousands of complaints about the popular Seresto flea-and-tick collar. Our reporting has led to a Congressional investigation, and the EPA announced an official review of the product. Thursday's news is the latest development on the collar.
'Toe tag resolutions': Key takeaways from the new Congressional report on meatpacking’s COVID-19 crisis | Investigate Midwest
A new Congressional report released last week details how the meatpacking industry worked to keep its plants open during the COVID-19 pandemic despite the fatal risks to its employees. Its largest players — Tyson Foods and Smithfield Foods — spearheaded the efforts, according to emails the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis obtained.
