OSHA cites Case Farms for failing to report employee illness

Employer name: Case Farms Processing Inc.

Inspection site: 1818 County Road 160, Winesburg, Ohio

Citations issued: Feb. 9, 2016

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Columbus area office cited Case Farms Processing for two repeat and one other-than-serious safety violations.

OSHA opened an investigation at the chicken processing facility in October 2015 to evaluate record-keeping and employee exposure to campylobacter bacteria, which humans can contract by touching animal feces. Infection with the bacteria can lead to gastrointestinal infection. The inspection was opened following a referral from another government agency.

The agency cited the company for failing to:

• Complete an OSHA 301 form for each recordable injury or illness.
• Record an injury or illness within seven calendar days of occurrence.
• Provide requested records within four business hours.

The agency also issued a Hazard Alert Letter for failing to implement a program and train employees to minimize exposure to campylobacter.

Quote: “Case Farms has a long track record of failing to comply with federal workplace safety standards and needs to follow-through on its commitment to make improvements to equipment, procedures and training to protect its workers on the job,” said Deborah Zubaty, OSHA’s area director in Columbus. “OSHA will remain vigilant until the company keeps its workers safe by making needed improvements to equipment, procedures and training.”

Previous Violations: The leading supplier of fast food and supermarket chicken racked up nearly $1.9 million in proposed fines from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 2015 following inspections at facilities in Winesburg and Canton. In August 2015, OSHA placed Case Farms in the agency’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.  Case Farms has contested all citations issued.

Proposed Penalties: $23,100

View Citations here:

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency’s Columbus Area Office at 614-469-5582.