Roughly 100 workers have walked out of a Smithfield meat plant in Monmouth, Illinois, following a colleague’s death

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.

  • Console_Modder@sh.itjust.works
    15·
    2 days ago

    That is fucking insane. I’ve seen places get $10k in fines for not putting labels on pipes. Those machine should have been shutdown and not allowed to run if the operators were exposed to amputation hazards. That inspector must have been in someone’s pocket

    • corsicanguppy@lemmy.caEnglish
      4·
      2 days ago

      Those horrific machines are the safest they have and they’re still unsafe. It wasn’t long ago that the salmon packers would injure out with terrible injuries due to the fact that their job involves a VERY sharp knife and a blinding pace. Slit median nerves mean you can’t hold much, so ya spot them by their floppy left hand.