Material handling safety for the poultry industry

Scope

The poultry industry would come to a standstill if not for warehousing and material handling operations. Supplies and processed poultry are typically either transported to trucks for immediate shipment or are placed in a warehouse for storage. Material handling and warehousing involves:

• Forklift and pallet jack operators who move loaded pallets around the worksite or onto trucks.
• Freezer or cooler workers who manually load or unload boxes of frozen product on warehouse shelves.
• Janitorial staff who ensure facilities are clean, sanitary, and free of slip, trip, or fall hazards.

Many of these hazards are directly influenced or intensified by material handling activities performed during poultry processing and warehousing operations. The most common material handling hazards encountered during poultry processing operations include:

• Storage and stacking of cages and other materials
• Slippery walking and working surfaces
• Ergonomic hazards and musculoskeletal disorders
• Excessive noise
• Hazardous chemicals
• Temperature extremes

Poultry workers and material handlers are often required to stack boxes overhead, which forces them to bend their torso forward to place the box on a pallet or the top of a stack. Even when conveyors are used to transport materials directly to refrigerated trucks, workers are required to lift the material from the conveyor, then stack them in trucks above head height or at floor level. This can result in back and shoulder injuries.

Shelving, racks, and other stored materials (pallets, cages, etc.) can injure workers if not inspected and maintained in a way that prevents collapse, sliding, or tipping over. Loose materials should always be stacked or packaged to prevent tipping or extending into aisleways. Forklifts can also be a cause of material collapse if upright or corner guards aren’t used to prevent damage to shelving and racking systems.

One of the most common causes of injury in poultry processing facilities are slips, trips, or falls. This is due to a continuous influx of debris from processing and rinsing of floor surfaces for sanitation reasons. It’s vital that floors and aisles be kept clear of spills, clutter, electrical cords and water hoses, and other hazards that could result in a slip, trip, or fall. Slippery or wet floors that don’t have adequate drainage and stairs without handrails or slip-resistant surfaces can also result in catastrophic falls. Additionally, poultry processing areas are often cold, resulting in ice formation that could result in injuries or strain from slipping, especially if the worker was carrying a load when they slipped. Workers are also susceptible to falls from unprotected edges or sides of docks or platforms unguarded edges or sides of docks or platforms 4 feet or more above a lower level, so must be protected.

Poultry industry workers may be exposed to a litany of ergonomic hazards, musculoskeletal stressors, and excessive noise. Lifting, twisting, bending, reaching overhead, pushing and pulling heavy loads, and working in awkward body postures can take a toll on workers, especially when these tasks are performed repeatedly. These repetitive movements increase workers’ risks of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including back and shoulder pain, muscle strains, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tendinitis. Excessive noise from machinery, animals, forklifts, and alarms can also put employees at risk of hearing loss if not managed properly. Ergonomic stressors and excessive noise, coupled with the fast pace of production, can also result in stress and fatigue for workers, which is yet another risk for injuries or illness that must be managed.

Where chemicals are present in poultry processing areas or warehouses, employers are subject to OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1910.1200). Maintaining a written HazCom program and chemical inventory, keeping chemicals labeled and safety data sheets (SDSs) accessible, and training workers will go a long way toward hazardous chemical compliance.

Working in cold environments may keep the poultry cold, but it can create hazards for workers. Working in the cold requires them to wear extra clothing, which can restrict movement and increase their exerting force when lifting and moving materials. These movements can result in serious back strains and other injuries. Also, individuals that work in cold environments will burn more energy to maintain body heat and therefore are susceptible to fatigue or injury more quickly.

Employers must perform hazard assessments and implement appropriate controls to mitigate risks and prevent employee injuries. This includes guarding machinery, enforcing safety procedures, and offering effective training.

Regulatory citations

• 29 CFR 1904 — Recording and reporting occupational injuries and illnesses
• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D — Walking-working surfaces
• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart E — Exit routes and emergency planning
• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I — Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart N — Materials handling and storage
• 29 CFR 1910.1020 — Access to employee exposure and medical records
• 29 CFR 1910.1200 — Hazard communication
• 29 CFR 1910.178 — Powered industrial trucks (forklifts)
• 29 CFR 1910.28 — Duty to have fall protection
• 29 USC 654 — General duty clause of the OSH Act
• 29 CFR 1910.147 — The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)

Key definitions

• Exposure: Subjecting a worker to a hazardous drug by any route of entry, such as inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, or absorption. Exposure includes potential (e.g., accidental or possible) exposure.
• Hazardous: Posing a health hazard, a physical hazard, or harm to people or the environment.

Summary of requirements

• Conduct hazard assessments to identify potential hazards associated with material handling. These include physical, chemical, and environmental hazards such as ergonomics, stacking cages, shelving, and operating dangerous equipment.
• Implement procedures for safety inspections of equipment or vehicles and strict lockout/tagout procedures prior to maintenance or service of equipment.
• Maintain walking/working surfaces to prevent slips, trips and falls.
• Ensure exit doors are not being blocked by stored materials.
• Establish and implement material handling procedures. This includes ensuring cages or materials are not stacked too high, heavier materials are stacked on lower shelves, shelving units are secured from tipping or movement, non-shelved materials are stacked to prevent tipping, and shelving is not overloaded.
• Ensure hazardous materials are properly labeled and that safety data sheets (SDSs) are readily accessible for workers.
• Encourage early reporting of slips, trips, falls, repetitive motion, or other injuries to management.
• Train workers on material handling hazards and required protective measures.
• Investigate any worker incidents or near misses to find root causes and implement remediations to prevent future occurrence.