Meatpacking Plant Hazards: Knives, Machinery & On-Site Clinics

Beef is big business. In 2022, commercial beef production in the United States reached 28.3 billion pounds with $10.9 billion in exports. The U.S. beef market as a whole was valued at $102 billion in 2023 and is growing steadily, with expectations that it will reach $157.36 billion by 2032.

Meatpacking is a critical part of the U.S. beef industry, responsible for processing 34.8 million head of cattle in 2022 alone. Meatpacking is also highly concentrated—just 4 companies account for 85% of all steer and heifer purchases in the United States. This has created a tenuous relationship between the cattle production and meatpacking industries in recent years, driving down cattle prices while meatpackers profit. It has also led to questions about worker safety.

There are many safety and health hazards in the meatpacking industry. Performing repetitive, manual labor in close quarters surrounded by heavy machinery and equipment, workers may be at risk of experiencing severe lacerations, crush injuries, cumulative trauma disorders (such as carpal tunnel syndrome), and even infectious diseases.

The occupational injury rate for animal slaughtering and processing was 6 per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers in 2022, more than twice the national occupational injury rate of 2.7. This could explain why most meatpacking plants have on-site clinics to treat workers—but is there another reason?

Are these clinics being used as a way to avoid reporting worker injuries to OSHA? Are workers being pressured not to seek medical care outside of the plant?

If so, meatpacking worker injury rates may be much higher.

Are Meatpacking Workers Getting the Care They Need?

In March 2022 at a meatpacking plant in Columbus Junction, Iowa, a worker on the kill floor sustained a severe laceration from the sharp knives he was using to perform his job. He went to the on-site clinic at the plant, where nurses wrapped his arm in brightly colored bandages. He returned every day for fresh dressings. For one week, he was assigned to a less physically challenging job, but then he was sent back to his previous kill floor line job. The worker tried to continue, but the pain was persistent. When he asked to go to the hospital to get the care he needed, the company nurse told him he’d be responsible for paying any medical costs if he went that route.

The worker never went to the hospital. To this day, he has a long and angry scar on his arm. He never received paid time off work or workers’ compensation benefits.

Sadly, this worker’s story is but one of many.

Misuse of On-Site Workplace Clinics

In a meatpacking plant, an on-site workplace clinic (OWC) is a facility typically staffed by licensed practical nurses (LPNs) or emergency medical technicians (EMTs). These clinics, controlled by employers, provide basic healthcare services and determine when employees should be referred off-site for further treatment. While nurses and EMTs follow protocols usually approved by a doctor, direct supervision by a physician or advanced practice nurse, as required by law, is often lacking. OSHA investigations have found that many OWC staff members operate without the necessary clinical supervision.

There are also significant concerns about OWC staff working beyond their scope of practice. Staff frequently administer nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, instead of addressing the underlying issue. Workers with repetitive strain injuries, such as hand, finger, and shoulder pain, are often sent back to work without proper diagnosis or treatment, leading to avoidable surgeries for conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and rotator cuff tendinitis. Even in cases of medical emergencies, such as head injuries or chemical exposures, workers have sometimes been kept on-site rather than sent for immediate off-site care.

Meatpacking workers are often "captive patients" in OWCs, facing potential disciplinary action if they seek outside medical care. Employers typically require workers to use OWCs for work-related conditions to ensure insurance coverage, and by limiting off-site referrals, companies can artificially lower their recordable injury rates. This practice allows companies to maintain misleadingly low injury logs, creating a false impression of workplace safety. Workers may also avoid reporting injuries out of fear of job loss, further contributing to underreported workplace hazards.

The Dangers Faced by America’s Meatpacking Workers

There are close to 500,000 workers in the meat and poultry processing industry in the United States. These workers often spend hours standing side by side, performing the same motions, wielding scissors and knives, and working around machinery that’s loud and powerful. Numerous OSHA standards address the hazards present at meatpacking plants, but employers are not doing enough.

In July 2023, at a large meat processing facility in Woodbridge, New Jersey, a longtime employee of the company lost her life in a horrific accident involving a blending machine. As the 54-year-old was loading the machine, her clothing got caught and she was pulled in.

In February 2022, a worker at a meat processing plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa, lost a finger while operating a bacon slicer. The blade cut off his index finger and caused a severe laceration on his middle finger. That same month, a worker at a meatpacking facility in Chino, California, was severely injured after a piece of meat flew off the hydraulic brisket saw he was operating, striking him in the leg. Also in February, a worker at a meatpacking plant in Osceola, Iowa, was loading racks of meat into a smoking oven when his finger was crushed. The end of his finger was later amputated.

Meatpacking workers suffered 14 times as many amputation injuries as the national average in 2020. And these numbers may be underreported, due to the presence of on-site clinics at these massive plants.

Protecting Beef Industry Workers

Employers in the beef and meatpacking industry have a legal and moral responsibility to protect their workers from on-the-job hazards. Implementing protective measures is crucial to ensuring a safer work environment. For example, machinery should be equipped with guards and emergency stop buttons to prevent accidents. Non-skid flooring can reduce the risk of slips, while proper ventilation systems can help manage harmful fumes and maintain air quality.

Lockout/tagout procedures are essential for ensuring that machinery is properly shut down and cannot be accidentally activated during maintenance or cleaning. Providing workers with appropriate protective clothing and equipment, such as gloves, aprons, and face shields, is another vital step in minimizing exposure to risks.

Training and education are equally important. Workers must be thoroughly trained on the proper use of machinery, chemical handling, and safety protocols. Regular safety drills and refresher courses can help keep safety top of mind and ensure that workers know how to respond in case of an emergency.

When accidents occur, workers should receive proper treatment at on-site clinics and should be allowed to seek additional treatment as needed—without fear of retaliation.

Is Your Employer Doing Enough?

Employers are always responsible for maintaining safe working conditions for their employees, no matter the inherent risks of the job. Beef and meatpacking industry employers that fail to provide a safe environment can and should be held accountable for any work-related injuries or illnesses that occur as a result.

Your safety and well-being should never be compromised for the sake of productivity or profit.