Although injury and illness rates in the meat and poultry processing industries have declined in recent years – similar to rates in all U.S. manufacturing – the rates continue to be higher than rates for manufacturing overall, according to the report “Workplace Safety and Health: Additional Data Needed to Address Continued Hazards in the Meat and Poultry Industry,” from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
Injury rates in meat and poultry processing declined from an estimated 9.8 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2004 to 5.7 in 2013. Meat workers sustained a higher estimated rate of injuries and illnesses than poultry workers, according to DOL data.