Oklahoma residents who work in the meatpacking industry know how dangerous their jobs can sometimes be. According to data obtained from OSHA, there were 34 injuries reported at 10 Tyson Foods plants in the first nine months of 2015. Of those injuries, 17 were amputations. Some of the injuries involved finger tips or portions of thumbs. However, others involved entire fingers while one injury cost a worker both of his hands.
The data is some of the most accurate and detailed made to the public thanks to changes in OSHA reporting requirements. Employers must now report any injury that results in amputation or hospitalization within 24 hours of the incident occurring. Previously, employers were only required to report the amount of time missed by employees related to serious injuries. However, the information wasn’t always reliable as employers would keep injured workers on the job even if they simply sat in an office during their shifts.
Tyson said that it was committed to the safety of all of its 113,000 workers. It also said that it had roughly 500 health and safety workers among its 100 locations in addition to safety committees. It also pointed to its committees that are tasked with increasing awareness about workplace safety and provided training in multiple languages.
While many workplace injuries are the result of negligence or poor attention to safety regulations, others are sometimes unavoidable. A person who has been hurt on the job may be eligible to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits under the employer’s insurance coverage. An attorney can often be of assistance with the preparation and filing of the claim.