Safety and Health Guide for the Meatpacking Industry
Abstract
The meatpacking industry (Standard Industrial Classification 2011), which employs over 100,000 workers, is considered to be one of the most hazardous industries in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), this industry has had the highest injury rate of any industry in the country for five consecutive years (1980-1985), with a rate three times that of other manufacturing industries. BLS studies have also shown that for 1985, 319 workers were injured during the first month of employment in the industry. Of those workers, 29 percent were cut by knives or machinery and 30 percent received sprains and strains. In addition, more than 30 percent of all injuries occurred to workers 25 years of age or younger. Younger new workers are at the highest occupational risk and suffer a significant proportion of all injuries.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA400600
Entities
Organizations
- United States Department of Labor