cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/53152091
Following an anonymous complaint in February, OSHA inspected the plant and fined Smithfield Foods $9,931.60 after observing workers’ exposure to “amputation hazards.” This was preceded by serious citations in 2021, 2023, and 2025.
Working in a slaughterhouse is extremely dangerous. In the US, there are approximately two amputations per week, primarily due to the industry’s poor working conditions and excessively fast pace.
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As reported by KWQC, the leaders also acknowledged “community concerns” over a backlog of rendering material – animal waste, internal organs, and decaying meat – being stored outside the plant, causing a strong, unpleasant smell in the city.
That seems low, unless it’s per-state or per-company.
I mean, any amount of on the job amputations above zero seems too high
If you’re using saws, its inevitable.
The rates of injury overall are actually higher than sawmills
https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/09/04/when-were-dead-and-buried-our-bones-will-keep-hurting/workers-rights-under-threat
And that’s not counting the mental trauma to workers from the killing itself that doesn’t exist in other industries using saws
Yes, the person I replied to seemed to think any amputation is too many. Any work that uses a saw runs the risk of amputation. Construction, logging, etc. As you pointed out. I’m just saying, that those lines of work, losing body parts is a very real risk
When I was a construction plumber I used to use a pipe threader which has enough torque to pull your body through a couple inch gap. I thought about that every time I used it.
The rates of injury overall are actually higher than other high risk industries
https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/09/04/when-were-dead-and-buried-our-bones-will-keep-hurting/workers-rights-under-threat
And that’s not counting the mental trauma to workers from the killing itself that doesn’t exist in other industries using saws