高-肉類(lèi)和家禽工人安全-OSHA應(yīng)確定如何應(yīng)對(duì)新冠肺炎加劇的持續(xù)性危害

GAO-23-105104

UnitedStatesGovernmentAccountabilityOffice

ReporttoCongressionalAddressees

June2023

MEATANDPOULTRYWORKERSAFETY

OSHAShould

DetermineHowto

AddressPersistent

HazardsExacerbated

byCOVID-19

UnitedStatesGovernmentAccountabilityOffice

June2023

MEATANDPOULTRYWORKERSAFETY

OSHAShouldDetermineHowtoAddress

PersistentHazardsExacerbatedbyCOVID-19

WhatGAOFound

CompaniesreportedtakingstepstoaddressCOVID-19inresponsetofederalguidance.Mostofthe15companiesrespondingtoGAO’ssurveysaidtheyencourageddistancingincommunalareas,installedbarriers,andrequiredmasks.However,studies,federalinspections,andworkerinterviewssuggestthatmeatandpoultryworkerscontinuedtofacehighriskofinfectioninthefirstyearofthepandemic.Forexample,in2020,theOccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)foundthatCOVID-19risktoworkersatonelargemeatplantwasmorethan70timeshigherthantothestate’sgeneralpopulation.

PlasticSheetingbetweenPoultryWorkersStandinginCloseProximity

OSHAincreasedmeatandpoultryplantinspectionsinthefirstyearofthepandemic,butfacedenforcementchallenges.OfficialstoldGAOtheirabilitytoprotectworkerswaslimitedbecauseexistingstandardsdidnottargetCOVID-relatedhazards,suchasjobsrequiringworkerstostandincloseproximity.TheOccupationalSafetyandHealthActof1970permitsOSHAtodevelopsafetyandhealthstandardsforspecificindustries.OSHAisdevelopinganinfectiousdiseasestandardforhealthcareworkers,butnotforworkersinmeatandpoultryprocessing.Withoutassessingtheactionsneededtobetterprotectmeatandpoultryworkers—suchasassessingtheneedforanindustrystandard—OSHAmaybemissinganopportunitytoprotectworkers.

OSHAandFoodSafetyandInspectionService(FSIS)officialssaidtheymetregularlyduringthepandemic,butdidnotprovidedocumentationonwhethertheyaddressedworkersafety.Theagenciesreportedlittlefield-levelcollaborationamongstaffwithdirectknowledgeofplantconditions.InAugust2022,theagenciesupdatedtheir1994memorandumofunderstanding,whichstatesthatFSISshouldreporthazardstoOSHA,includinginfectiousdiseases.Theagenciesdidnotfollowsomeleadingcollaborationpractices,suchasdefiningoutcomesandincludingkeyparticipants.Byfollowingthesepractices,OSHAandFSIScouldbettercollaborateonmeatandpoultryworkersafety.

Highlightsof

GAO-23-105104

,areporttocongressionaladdressees

WhyGAODidThisStudy

In2016and2017,GAOreportedthatmeatandpoultryworkersfacedmultipleoccupationalhazards.OSHAisresponsibleforensuringworkersafetyandhealth,FSISisresponsibleforensuringthesafetyofmeatandpoultryproducts,andemployersareresponsibleforprovidingsafeandhealthfulworkplaces.

TheCARESActincludesaprovisiontomonitorandreportonthefederalpandemicresponse.GAOalsowasaskedtoreviewfederaleffortstoensuremeatandpoultryworkersafetyandhealthduringthepandemic.

Thisreportexamines(1)meatandpoultrycompanies’responsetothepandemicandhowthepandemicaffectedtheseworkers;(2)OSHA’senforcementactionsandassociatedchallenges;and(3)OSHAandFSIScollaborationonworkersafety.GAOsurveyedcompanies,analyzedOSHAinspectiondatafromFebruary2018throughJune2022—themostrecentavailableatthetime;reviewedfederallawsandregulations;andspoketoworkersfromninestateswithlargemeatandpoultryprocessingoperations.GAOalsocomparedOSHAandFSISactionstoleadingpracticesforinteragencycollaboration,andinterviewedfederalofficials.

WhatGAORecommends

GAOrecommendsthatOSHAassesstheactionsneeded—suchasanindustrystandard—toprotectmeatandpoultryworkers;andthatOSHAandFSISfollowleadingcollaborationpractices.OSHAstateditwouldrespondtotherecommendationsafterthereportisissued.FSISagreedwiththerecommendationtocollaborate.

View

GAO-23-105104

.Formoreinformation,contactThomasCostaat(202)512-4769or

CostaT@

.

Contents

Letter

Background

MeatandPoultryWorkersExperiencedOutbreaksEarlyinthePandemic,andCompaniesReportedTakingStepstoProtectWorkers,WhoContinuedtoFaceRisks

OSHAIncreasedInspectionsofMeatandPoultryPlantsduringthePandemic,butFacedEnforcementChallenges

OSHAandFSISMissedOpportunitiestoCollaborateduringthePandemic,andDidNotFollowMostLeadingCollaboration

Practices

Conclusions

RecommendationsforExecutiveAction

AgencyComments

1

5

13

23

40

49

50

51

AppendixI

Objectives,Scope,andMethodology

56

AppendixII

AdditionalInformationfromCompanySurveysandWorker

Interviews

62

AppendixIII

COVID-RelatedViolationsCitedbytheOccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)forMeatandPoultryEmployers

67

AppendixIV

StatusofGAORecommendationstotheDepartmentofLabor(DOL)RelatedtoProtectionofMeatandPoultryWorkers

69

AppendixV

CommentsfromtheDepartmentofAgriculture

70

AppendixVIGAOContactsandStaffAcknowledgments72

PageiGAO-23-105104MeatandPoultryWorkerSafety

PageiiGAO-23-105104MeatandPoultryWorkerSafety

Tables

Table1:AssessmentofExtenttoWhichOSHAandFSISFollowedLeadingCollaborationPractices

Table2:COVID-RelatedViolationsCitedforMeatandPoultryEmployers,February1,2020–June30,2022

Table3:StatusofGAORecommendationstotheDepartmentofLabor(DOL)RelatedtoProtectionofMeatandPoultry

Workers:

45

67

69

Figures

Figure1:LocationandSizeofMeatandPoultryPlantsinthe

UnitedStatesasofMarch20236

Figure2:ConditionsinMeatandPoultryPlantsthatAffect

Workers’RiskofContractingCOVID-198

Figure3:Stepsin,andPotentialOutcomesof,anOccupational

SafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)Inspection10

Figure4:PlasticSheetingbetweenPoultryWorkersStandingin

CloseProximity19

Figure5:PlasticSheetingbetweenPoultryWorkersandaPartial

PartitionSeparatingWorkersacrossfromEachOther20

Figure6:ReportsofPotentialWorkplaceHazardstothe

OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA),

MeatandPoultryIndustry,COVID-andNon-COVID-

Related,February2020throughJune202225

Figure7:ReportsofPotentialWorkplaceHazardstothe

OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA),

byType,MeatandPoultryIndustry,February2020

throughJanuary2021,ComparedtoPrevious12-Month

Period26

Figure8:COVID-andNon-COVID-RelatedOccupationalSafety

andHealthAdministration(OSHA)Inspections,Meatand

PoultryIndustry,February2020throughJune202229

Figure9:TotalCOVID-andNon-COVID-RelatedOccupational

SafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)Violations,

MeatandPoultryIndustry,February2020throughJune

202231

Figure10:InjuryandIllnessRatesintheMeatandPoultry

Industry,ComparedwithRatesinAllU.S.Manufacturing,

CalendarYears2014-202137

Abbreviations

ARPA

AmericanRescuePlanActof2021

BLS

BureauofLaborStatistics

CARESAct

CoronavirusAid,Relief,andEconomicSecurityAct

CDC

CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention

COVID-19

CoronavirusDisease2019

CPS

CurrentPopulationSurvey

DOL

DepartmentofLabor

ETS

emergencytemporarystandard

FSIS

FoodSafetyandInspectionService

FTE

full-timeequivalent

HHS

DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices

MOU

memorandumofunderstanding

NAICS

NorthAmericanIndustryClassificationSystem

NIOSH

NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth

OIG

OfficeofInspectorGeneral

OSHAct

OccupationalSafetyandHealthActof1970

OSHA

OccupationalSafetyandHealthandAdministration

SOII

SurveyofOccupationalInjuriesandIllnesses

USDA

U.S.DepartmentofAgriculture

ThisisaworkoftheU.S.governmentandisnotsubjecttocopyrightprotectionintheUnitedStates.ThepublishedproductmaybereproducedanddistributedinitsentiretywithoutfurtherpermissionfromGAO.However,becausethisworkmaycontaincopyrightedimagesorothermaterial,permissionfromthecopyrightholdermaybenecessaryifyouwishtoreproducethismaterialseparately.

PageiiiGAO-23-105104MeatandPoultryWorkerSafety

Letter

441GSt.N.W.

Washington,DC20548

June20,2023

CongressionalAddressees

Meatandpoultryworkershavelongfacedhazardousworkingenvironments—includingcold,wet,andcrowdedconditions—whichtheCOVID-19pandemicunderscored.Inspring2020,severalmeatandpoultryslaughterandprocessingplantsclosedorgreatlyreducedproductionactivitiesduetothespreadofCOVID-19.OnApril26,2020,theDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices’(HHS)CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)andtheDepartmentofLabor’s(DOL)OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)issuedjointguidanceaimedatenablingcompaniestotakestepstoprotecttheirworkerswhilecontinuingoperationsduringthepandemic.Theguidancestatedthattheworkenvironmentofmeatandpoultryworkers—whohaveclose,sustainedcontactwithotherworkersonprocessinglinesandinotherareas—maycontributesubstantiallytotheirCOVID-19exposure.

1

OnApril28,2020,ExecutiveOrder13917identifiedtheproductionofmeatandpoultryasanessentialactivityandnotedtheimportanceofcontinuedoperationoftheplants.

2

WorkeradvocacygroupsandothershaveexpressedconcernsthatOSHAhasnoteffectivelyaddressedCOVID-19hazardsaffectingworkersinthemeatandpoultryindustry.

OSHAisthefederalagencychargedwithensuringsafeandhealthfulworkingconditionsforthenation’sworkers.TheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture’s(USDA)FoodSafetyandInspectionService(FSIS)istheagencyresponsibleforensuringthesafetyofmeatandpoultryproducts.FSIS’sinspectionpersonnelarepresentinfederallyinspectedmeatandpoultryestablishments,and,likemeatandpoultryworkers,arepotentially

1CDC,MeatandPoultryProcessingWorkersandEmployers:InterimGuidancefromCDCandtheOccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(April26,2020).ThisguidancesupplementedOSHA’smoregeneralguidanceonprotectingworkersfromCOVID-19,whichdidnotprovidenewrequiredstandardsforemployerstofollow,butreaffirmedthatemployershaveanobligationtoprotectworkersundertheOccupationalSafetyandHealthActof1970.Thisindustry-specificguidanceprovidedabatementmeasurestohelpprotectmeatandpoultryworkersfromCOVID-19.

2ExecutiveOrder13917,DelegatingAuthorityUndertheDefenseProductionActWithRespecttotheFoodSupplyChainResourcesDuringtheNationalEmergencyCausedbytheOutbreakofCOVID-19.85Fed.Reg.26,313,26,313-14(May1,2020).

Page1GAO-23-105104MeatandPoultryWorkerSafety

vulnerabletoworkplacehazards.

3

In2016and2017,wereportedthatmeatandpoultryworkersfacedmultipleoccupationalhazardsbut,accordingtofederalofficialsandworkeradvocatesweinterviewed,maybereluctanttoreportorseektreatmentforinjuriesandillnessesduetotheirstatusasundocumentedorforeign-bornworkers,orbecauseoftheireconomicvulnerability.

4

ThesereportsmaderecommendationstoOSHAtohelpprotecttheseworkers,andmostoftheserecommendationshavenotbeenimplementedbyOSHA.InAugust2022,OSHAandFSISeachimplementedapriorityrecommendationfrom2017thatfocusedoncollaborationbetweenOSHAandFSIS.

TheCoronavirusAid,Relief,andEconomicSecurityAct(CARESAct)includesaprovisionforGAOtomonitorandoverseefederaleffortstoaddresstheCOVID-19pandemic,aswellastheeffectofthepandemiconthehealth,economy,andpublicandprivateinstitutionsoftheU.S.

5

WealsoreceivedaseparaterequesttoexaminemeatandpoultryworkersafetyduringCOVID-19fromseveralmembersoftheCongressionalHispanicCaucus,andlettersfromtheChairandRankingMemberoftheHouseCommitteeonEducationandtheWorkforceaskingtoberequestersonGAOworkersafetyengagementsundertheCARESAct.Thisreportexamines(1)howmeatandpoultrycompaniesrespondedtotheCOVID-19pandemicandhowthepandemicaffectedmeatandpoultryworkers;(2)enforcementactionsOSHAtooktoensuremeatandpoultryworkersafetyandhealthduringthepandemicandchallengesassociatedwithenforcement;and(3)OSHAandFSIScollaborationonworkersafetyatmeatandpoultryplantsduringthepandemic.

Toaddressallthreeobjectives,wereviewedrelevantfederallaws,regulations,agencydocumentation,andrelatedGAOreports,and

3Inthisreport,wediscusstwocategoriesofworkers:privatesectormeatandpoultryworkers,andfederalFSISinspectorswhoarepresentintheplants.

4SeeGAO,WorkplaceSafetyandHealth:AdditionalDataNeededtoAddressContinuedHazardsintheMeatandPoultryIndustry,

GAO-16-337

(Washington,D.C.:Apr.25,2016);andGAO,WorkplaceSafetyandHealth:BetterOutreach,Collaboration,andInformationNeededtoHelpProtectWorkersatMeatandPoultryPlants,

GAO-18-12

(Washington,D.C.:Nov.9,2017).

5Pub.L.No.116-136,§19010(b),134Stat.281,580(2020).AllofGAO’sreportsrelatedtotheCOVID-19pandemicareavailableonGAO’swebsiteat

/coronavirus

.

Page2GAO-23-105104MeatandPoultryWorkerSafety

interviewedofficialsfromOSHA,FSIS,andCDC.

6

Wealsointerviewedandreviewedinformationfromadditionalstakeholders,includingworkersafetyexpertsandrepresentativesofcompaniesandworkeradvocacygroups.

Tounderstandhowmeatandpoultrycompaniesrespondedtothepandemicandhowthepandemicaffectedworkers,wesentasurveytomeatandpoultrycompanies,interviewedrepresentativesoftwolargecompanies,andvisitedonepoultryplant.

7

Wespokewiththreenationalindustryadvocacygroupsrepresentingmeatandpoultrycompaniesthatdescribedthemeasurestheirmembersimplementedinanefforttoprotecttheirworkers,aswellastheeffortstheytooktoassisttheirmembers.

8

Ofthe391surveysdistributedtocompanies,wereceived15non-generalizableresponsesfromfourverylargecompaniesandelevensmallercompanies.

9

Wealsoconductedindividualandgroupinterviews

6See

GAO-16-337

;

GAO-18-12

;GAO,COVID-19:FederalEffortsCouldBeStrengthenedbyTimelyandConcertedActions,

GAO-20-701

(Washington,D.C.:Sept.21,2020);COVID-19:UrgentActionsNeededtoBetterEnsureanEffectiveFederalResponse,

GAO-21-191

(Washington,D.C.:Nov.30,2020);COVID-19:CriticalVaccineDistribution,SupplyChain,ProgramIntegrity,andOtherChallengesRequireFocusedFederalAttention,

GAO-21-265

(Washington,D.C.:Jan.28,2021);COVID-19:AdditionalActionsNeededtoImproveAccountabilityandProgramEffectivenessofFederalResponse,

GAO-22-105051

(Washington,D.C.:Oct.27,2021);andWorkplaceSafetyandHealth:DataandEnforcementChallengesLimitOSHA’sAbilitytoProtectWorkersduringaCrisis,

GAO-22-105711

(Washington,D.C.:May25,2022).

7Inthisreport,werefertomeatandpoultrycompaniesandplants.Ameatandpoultrycompanymayhavemultipleplantswhereitsslaughterandprocessoperationstakeplace.Wesurveyedmeatandpoultrycompaniesatthecorporatelevel.

8TheNationalChickenCouncil,theNationalTurkeyFederation,andtheNorthAmericanMeatInstituteadministeredoursurveybyemailtotheirmembers.Accordingtothesegroups,oursurveywassentto391meatandpoultrycompanies.Fifteencompaniesrespondedtooursurvey,resultingina4percentresponserate.However,fourofthelargestmeatprocessingcompaniesintheU.S.respondedtothesurvey.Thesefourcompaniescollectivelyemployedapproximately262,000workersasofMarch2023.

9Fourofthecompaniesreportedhaving31ormoreplantsandmorethan10,000workers;andonecompanyreportedhaving11-20plantsandbetween5,001and10,000employees.Theremaining10companiesreportedhaving10orfewerplants—sixofthesereportedhaving1,000orfeweremployees,tworeportedhavingbetween1,001-5,000employees,andtworeportedhavingbetween5,001and10,000employees.

Page3GAO-23-105104MeatandPoultryWorkerSafety

with24meatandpoultryworkersfrom13companiesinninestates.

10

Wespokewith11advocacygroupstoidentifytheseworkers,andselectedthesegroupsbasedonavarietyoffactors,suchasthoselocatedinstateswitharelativelyhighlevelofmeatorpoultryslaughter(basedonUSDAdata).Theinformationgatheredfromtheseinterviewsisnotgeneralizabletoallcompaniesorallmeatorpoultryworkers,butprovidesillustrativeexamplesofthechallengesmeatandpoultryworkersfacedduringtheCOVID-19pandemic.Inaddition,throughliteraturesearches,weidentifiedstudiesfrompublichealthjournalsandotherresearch-basedsourcesonvarioustopicspertinenttoourreview.

ToexamineenforcementactionsOSHAtooktohelpensuremeatandpoultryworkers’safetyandhealth,weinterviewedOSHAstafffromsevenselectedareaofficesandtwoselectedregionaloffices(eachregionalofficeoverseesanumberofareaoffices)abouteffortstoensureworkersafetyandhealthandthechallengestheyencounteredduringthepandemic.WealsoanalyzedenforcementdatafromtheOSHAInformationSystemfromFebruary2018throughJune2022,themostrecentdataavailableatthetime.Toassessthereliabilityofthedata,wereviewedrelevantagencydocumentation,conducteddatatesting,andinterviewedagencyofficialsknowledgeableaboutthesedata.Wefoundthedatatobesufficientlyreliableforourpurposes.

ToexaminehowOSHAandFSIScollaboratedtohelpensuremeatandpoultryworkersafetyandhealth,werevieweda1994anda2022memorandumofunderstanding(MOU)betweenOSHAandFSIStoprotectworkers.

11

WealsointerviewedOSHAandFSISfieldstaffatvariouslevelsabouttheircollaborativeefforts.Wereceivedwrittenresponsesfrombothagenciesonhowtheycollaboratedduringthepandemic.WecomparedtheMOUs,agencies’actions,andagencies’

10Twelveofthe24workerswereemployedbyfiveverylargecompanies(morethan10,000employees),elevenwereemployedbyfivemid-to-largecompanies(1,001-10,000employees),andthreeworkerswereemployedbythreesmallcompanies(lessthan1,000employees).Ofthese13companies,onlythreeofthefiveverylargecompanieswereamongthosethatrespondedtoourcompanysurvey.Weconductedanadditionalinterviewwithsevenmeatandpoultryworkersduringourvisittothepoultryplant.Thisinterviewdifferedincontentandstructurefromsubsequentworkerinterviewsandisnotincludedinourdiscussion.

11MemorandumofUnderstandingbetweenDOL’sOSHAandUSDA’sFSIS,February4,1994;MemorandumofUnderstandingbetweenDOL’sOSHAandUSDA’sFSIS,August1,2022.

Page4GAO-23-105104MeatandPoultryWorkerSafety

responsesagainstthesevenleadingpracticesforinteragencycollaborationthatwehaveidentifiedinourpriorwork.

12

WeconductedthisperformanceauditfromMarch2021toJune2023inaccordancewithgenerallyacceptedgovernmentauditingstandards.Thosestandardsrequirethatweplanandperformtheaudittoobtainsufficient,appropriateevidencetoprovideareasonablebasisforourfindingsandconclusionsbasedonourauditobjectives.Webelievethattheevidenceobtainedprovidesareasonablebasisforourfindingsandconclusionsbasedonourauditobjectives.

Background

ConditionsinMeatand

PoultryPlants

Anestimated462,000meatandpoultryworkerswereemployedbythemeatandpoultryindustryin2021.

13

AccordingtoUSDAdata,asofFebruary2023,thereweremorethan5,500federallyinspectedmeatandpoultryplantsintheU.S.(seefig.1).

12GAO,ManagingforResults:KeyConsiderationsforImplementingInteragencyCollaborativeMechanisms,

GAO-12-1022

(Washington,D.C.:Sept.27,2012).

13AccordingtoCurrentPopulationSurvey(CPS)data,anestimated462,000workerswereemployedintheanimalslaughteringandprocessingindustryin2021.Thisestimatehasa

95percentconfidenceintervalfrom413,567to510,433.AlldemographicestimatesforthemeatandpoultryindustryinthisreportarebasedontheCPSdataavailableasofSeptember2022andrefertoworkersage16yearsandolderinthemeatandpoultryindustry.

Page5GAO-23-105104MeatandPoultryWorkerSafety

Figure1:LocationandSizeofMeatandPoultryPlantsintheUnitedStatesasofMarch2023

AccordingtoCDCdocumentationandacademicstudies,distinctiveconditionswithinmeatandpoultryplantsaffectworkers’riskforexposuretoCOVID-19intheseworkplaces(seefig.2).Theseinclude:

?Distancebetweenworkers.Meatandpoultryworkersoftenworkclosetooneanotheronprocessinglines.Workersalsomayexperiencecrowdedconditionswhenclockinginoroutfortheirshifts,usingthebathroomorlockerroom,takingbreaks,andeatinglunch.

Page6GAO-23-105104MeatandPoultryWorkerSafety

?Physicallaborandloudenvironment.Workatmeatandpoultryplantsoftenrequiressignificantmanualeffort,whichmayresultinstrenuousbreathingalongsidefellowworkers,contributingtotheriskofairbornetransmission,accordingtoonestudy.

14

Therequirementforplantstooperateatlowtemperaturesinanenvironmentwithlowairexchangeratesisanotherfactorthat,accordingtothesamestudy,maypromotevirusspread.Workersmayneedtoyelltobeheardinfacilitieswithaloudproductionenvironment,whichanotherstudysuggestscouldincreasetheemissionofpotentiallyinfectiousrespiratorydropletsthatincreaseriskofairbornetransmission.

15

?Durationofcontact.Meatandpoultryworkersoftenhaveprolongedclosenesstotheircoworkersduetolongworkshifts(e.g.,for10-12hourspershift).ContinuedcontactwithpotentiallyinfectiousindividualsincreasestheriskofCOVID-19transmission,accordingtoCDC.

?Coldtemperatures.AccordingtoCDC,thecoldtemperaturesmaintainedinsomepartsofplantsmayallowthevirustostayviableoutsidethebodyforlonger.

Further,accordingtoCDC,meatandpoultrycompanies’COVID-preventioneffortsfacethechallengeofaccommodatingtheneedsofworkerswhospeakdiffer