Meat Processing Safety Manual

What Should a Meat Processing Safety Manual Include?

The contents of a Meat Processing Safety Manual should reflect the facility’s actual operations.

A small meat-cutting or further-processing facility may require a different combination of programs than a large slaughtering and processing plant with automated production lines, industrial refrigeration, sanitation crews, forklifts, rendering equipment, and extensive material-handling operations.

Depending on operations, the manual may address:

• Knife and cutting safety.
• Machine guarding.
• Lockout/Tagout.
• Sanitation worker safety.
• Biological hazards.
• Chemical safety.
• Ammonia refrigeration.
• Cold stress.
• Slips, trips and falls.
• Emergency procedures.

Programs should be selected according to the work actually performed and applicable requirements.

Meat Processing Safety Program

An effective Meat Processing Safety Program establishes responsibilities and procedures for identifying hazards, safeguarding machinery, controlling hazardous energy, preventing cuts and lacerations, reducing ergonomic exposures, protecting sanitation employees, maintaining equipment, and correcting unsafe conditions.

Management should provide the training, safeguards, PPE, equipment, and resources necessary for employees to perform their work safely.

Managers and supervisors should:

• Identify workplace and process hazards.
• Ensure machinery is appropriately guarded.
• Establish hazardous-energy-control procedures where required.
• Evaluate ergonomic hazards.
• Coordinate production, sanitation, and maintenance activities.
• Evaluate chemical and biological exposures.
• Maintain equipment in safe condition.
• Provide required PPE.
• Train employees before assigning hazardous work.
• Correct unsafe conditions.
• Investigate incidents and near misses.
• Follow up on corrective actions.

Employees should follow established procedures, use required safeguards and PPE, report unsafe conditions, and perform only work for which they have appropriate training and authorization.

Meat Processing Hazard Assessments

Meat-processing operations should be evaluated to identify hazards associated with production, cutting, machinery, sanitation, chemicals, refrigeration, material handling, and employee exposures.

Assessments may consider:

• Knives and cutting tools.
• Powered cutting equipment.
• Points of operation.
• Hazardous energy.
• Repetitive motion.
• Forceful exertion.
• Sanitation chemicals.
• Biological exposure.
• Wet environments.
• Cold environments.
• Forklift traffic.

Assessments should be reviewed when equipment, processes, chemicals, production methods, or operations change significantly.

Meat Processing Safety Inspections

Facilities should be periodically inspected to identify unsafe conditions and verify that established procedures are being followed.

Inspection topics may include:

• Machine guards.
• Knives and cutting tools.
• Emergency stops.
• LOTO equipment.
• Electrical equipment.
• Chemical storage.
• Sanitation equipment.
• Floors and drains.
• Refrigeration systems.
• Emergency equipment.
• Exit routes.

Deficiencies should be documented and corrected in a timely manner.

Job Safety Analysis (JSA/JHA)

A Job Safety Analysis or Job Hazard Analysis can be used to evaluate higher-hazard meat-processing activities.

JSAs/JHAs may be appropriate for:

• Cutting and deboning.
• Knife-intensive work.
• Meat-saw operation.
• Grinder operation.
• Machine setup.
• Jam clearing.
• Equipment sanitation.
• Blade removal.
• Chemical handling.
• Refrigeration maintenance.
• Forklift operation.
• Loading and unloading.

The analysis should identify task steps, hazards, and controls necessary to perform the work safely.

Knife Safety

Hand knives are widely used for cutting, trimming, deboning, and other meat-processing operations.

Employees should:

• Use a knife appropriate for the task.
• Maintain stable working positions.
• Keep body parts outside the cutting path.
• Cut in the intended direction.
• Maintain adequate separation from nearby employees.
• Store knives appropriately.
• Use required hand and body protection.

Employees should receive instruction in the cutting techniques appropriate to their assigned tasks.

Knife Condition and Sharpness

Knives should be maintained in suitable condition.

A poorly maintained knife can require excessive force and contribute to loss of control and ergonomic strain.

Employees should follow established procedures for sharpening, honing, replacing, and inspecting knives.

Damaged knives should be removed from service.

Knife Storage

Knives should be stored in designated racks, scabbards, holders, or other systems that protect employees from accidental contact.

Knives should not be left concealed in sinks, containers, product, or other locations where another employee could unknowingly contact the blade.

Knife Transport

Employees carrying knives should use established methods that protect themselves and nearby employees.

Knives should not be carried in pockets or other locations where the blade is unprotected.

Designated scabbards or other protective systems should be used where appropriate.

Knife Cleaning

Knives should be cleaned using methods that minimize hand contact with cutting edges.

Employees should maintain control of the knife and use appropriate hand protection where required.

Knives should not be left loose or concealed in wash water.

Cut-Resistant PPE

Cut-resistant gloves, arm guards, aprons, mesh protection, or other protective equipment may be appropriate depending on the cutting task and exposure.

PPE should be selected according to the actual hazard.

Employees should understand the capabilities and limitations of cut-resistant equipment.

PPE does not eliminate the need for safe knife-handling techniques.

Meat Hooks — When Applicable

Employees using meat hooks should maintain control of the hook and remain aware of nearby employees.

Hooks should be stored so points do not create accidental-contact hazards.

Damaged hooks should be removed from service.

Scissors and Hand Cutting Tools

Scissors and other cutting tools should be maintained in usable condition and stored appropriately.

Employees should keep hands and other body parts outside the cutting path.

Tools should be appropriate for the material and task.

Meat Saw Safety

Powered meat saws can cause severe cuts and amputations.

Employees should:

• Receive appropriate training.
• Use required guards.
• Keep hands away from blades.
• Use appropriate workholding or feeding methods.
• Maintain stable positioning.
• Follow manufacturer instructions.
• Stop equipment before performing tasks that cannot safely be performed during operation.

Damaged or improperly guarded equipment should not be used.

Band Saw Safety

Band-saw blade exposure should be limited to the amount necessary to perform the work.

Adjustable guards should be positioned appropriately.

Employees should:

• Keep hands out of the blade path.
• Maintain control of the product.
• Avoid excessive force.
• Use appropriate feeding devices where provided.
• Follow established cleaning procedures.

Grinders

Meat grinders can expose employees to rotating screws, augers, blades, and other moving components.

Employees should use provided feed tools rather than hands to move product into feed openings.

Guards and covers should remain in place.

Employees should not reach into grinders to clear product while exposed to hazardous movement.

Powered Cutting and Processing Equipment

Powered cutting, tenderizing, slicing, chopping, and processing equipment should be operated only by appropriately trained and authorized employees.

Employees should understand:

• Machine controls.
• Emergency stops.
• Feed systems.
• Cleaning procedures.
• Jam-clearing procedures.
• Shutdown requirements.

Machine Guarding

Machinery should be appropriately safeguarded to protect employees from:

• Points of operation.
• Rotating parts.
• Nip points.
• Cutting blades.
• Power-transmission components.
• Crushing and shearing hazards.

Employees should not remove, defeat, or bypass required safeguards.

Guards and Interlocks

Machine guards, covers, doors, and interlocks should function as designed.

Employees should not bypass interlocks to increase production, simplify cleaning, or gain access to operating equipment.

Defective safeguards should be reported and corrected.

Conveyor Safety

Conveyors may expose employees to belts, chains, sprockets, rollers, nip points, transfer points, and unexpected startup.

Employees should keep hands, clothing, tools, and other items away from moving conveyor components.

Required guards should remain in place.

Employees should use designated walkways and crossovers where provided.

Clearing Jams

Employees should not reach into operating machinery or conveyors to clear jams.

Equipment should be stopped using established procedures.

Where jam clearing exposes employees to unexpected startup, machine movement, or other hazardous energy, applicable Lockout/Tagout procedures should be followed.

Lockout/Tagout

Meat-processing equipment can contain electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, gravitational, and other hazardous energy.

Where servicing or maintenance exposes employees to unexpected energization, startup, or release of hazardous energy, required energy-control procedures should be followed.

The Lockout/Tagout Program should address:

• Energy-control procedures.
• Authorized employees.
• Affected employees.
• Energy-isolating devices.
• Lockout/tagout devices.
• Stored energy.
• Periodic inspections.

Machine-Specific Energy Control Procedures

Where required, procedures should identify the energy sources and isolation methods for the specific equipment.

Energy sources may include:

• Mechanical energy.
• Thermal energy.

Employees should verify energy isolation before beginning covered servicing or maintenance.

Sanitation and Lockout/Tagout

Sanitation activities can expose employees to machine hazards when guards, covers, blades, or machine components are removed for cleaning.

When sanitation activities expose employees to hazardous energy, required energy-control procedures should be followed.

Sanitation schedules and production demands should not be used as justification for bypassing hazardous-energy controls.

Machine Cleaning

Cleaning procedures should identify how equipment must be safely prepared.

Depending on the machine, this may require:

• Energy isolation.
• Lockout/Tagout.
• Mechanical blocking.

Employees should not assume that pressing an operating stop button eliminates all hazardous energy.

Blade Removal

Employees removing blades, knives, cutting plates, or other sharp components should follow established procedures.

Appropriate cut-resistant protection should be used according to the task.

Blades should be stored or transported so employees are protected from exposed cutting edges.

Sanitation Worker Safety

Sanitation employees may be exposed to hazards throughout the facility, including:

• Hazardous energy.
• Cutting equipment.
• High-pressure water.
• Wet floors.
• Electrical equipment.
• Open drains.

Sanitation employees should receive training appropriate to the machinery and hazards they encounter.

Washdown Operations

Washdown work should be coordinated with production and maintenance activities.

Employees should consider:

• Electrical equipment.
• Slippery surfaces.
• Water pressure.
• Nearby employees.
• Machine hazards.

Electrical equipment should not be subjected to washdown unless it is suitable for the environment and cleaning procedure.

High-Pressure Cleaning — When Applicable

High-pressure water systems can cause injection injuries, lacerations, flying debris, and loss-of-control hazards.

Employees using high-pressure cleaning equipment should receive appropriate training.

Procedures should address:

• Hose condition.
• Employee positioning.
• Unexpected release.

High-pressure streams should never be directed at employees.

Sanitation Chemicals

Sanitation operations may involve concentrated cleaners, sanitizers, caustics, acids, oxidizers, and other hazardous chemicals.

Employees should follow:

• Product labels.
• Safety Data Sheets.
• Manufacturer instructions.
• Company procedures.

Appropriate PPE, ventilation, dispensing systems, and emergency equipment should be provided according to the hazards.

Peracetic Acid — When Applicable

Peracetic acid may be used as an antimicrobial or sanitizer in meat-processing operations.

Employees should be protected from potentially hazardous inhalation, eye, and skin exposure.

The company should evaluate the product, concentration, application method, and employee exposure.

Appropriate ventilation, PPE, and handling procedures should be established.

Chlorine — When Applicable

Chlorine-containing products may be used for sanitation or process-water treatment.

Employees should follow applicable chemical-handling, ventilation, PPE, and emergency procedures.

Chlorine products should not be mixed with incompatible chemicals.

Hydrogen Peroxide — When Applicable

Hydrogen peroxide products should be handled according to their concentration and hazards.

Employees should follow applicable procedures for eye, skin, and respiratory protection.

Spills and releases should be addressed according to established procedures.

Caustic Cleaning Chemicals

Strong alkaline cleaners can cause severe skin and eye injuries.

Employees should:

• Wear appropriate PPE.
• Use designated dilution and dispensing systems.
• Avoid splashing.
• Maintain chemical labels.
• Follow manufacturer instructions.

Emergency flushing equipment should remain accessible where required.

Chemical Dilution and Dispensing

Concentrated chemicals should be diluted and dispensed according to manufacturer instructions.

Employees should use designated systems where provided.

Manual mixing should be avoided when safer dispensing methods are available.

Secondary containers should be appropriately labeled.

Chemical Mixing

Employees should not mix chemicals unless the manufacturer specifically permits the combination and established procedures have been provided.

Incompatible chemicals can produce toxic gases, heat, pressure, or other dangerous reactions.

Employees should never experiment with chemical combinations.

Biological Hazards

Meat-processing employees may be exposed to biological hazards associated with live animals, freshly slaughtered meat, animal blood, tissue, feces, contaminated surfaces, and other animal materials.

The company should evaluate biological hazards associated with the species and processes involved.

Controls may include:

• Wound protection.
• Exposure reporting.
• Medical evaluation when appropriate.

Animal Blood and Tissue

Employees should minimize unnecessary contact with animal blood and tissue.

Cuts and abrasions should be appropriately protected.

Employees should wash exposed skin and follow facility hygiene procedures.

Contaminated PPE should be handled and cleaned according to established procedures.

Animal Feces and Contaminated Surfaces

Employees exposed to animal feces, contaminated equipment, or other biological materials should follow established hygiene and sanitation procedures.

Appropriate gloves, protective clothing, eye protection, or other PPE should be provided according to the exposure.

Zoonotic Disease Awareness

Employees whose work exposes them to animals or animal materials should receive information appropriate to recognized biological hazards associated with the operation.

Employees should report symptoms or unusual exposures according to company procedures.

Live-Animal Handling — When Applicable

Slaughtering facilities receiving live animals should evaluate hazards associated with:

• Animal movement.
• Biological exposure.
• Employee positioning.

Employees should receive appropriate instruction before working with live animals.

Bloodborne Pathogens — When Applicable

Exposure to animal blood alone does not automatically make OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard applicable.

The company should separately evaluate whether employee duties involve reasonably anticipated occupational exposure to human blood or other potentially infectious materials covered by the standard.

Where such occupational exposure exists, applicable Bloodborne Pathogens requirements should be implemented.

Ergonomics

Meat processing can involve repetitive motion, forceful exertion, awkward posture, cold conditions, prolonged standing, and production-paced work.

Ergonomic evaluations should consider:

• Tool design.
• Workstation design.
• Production methods.

Controls should be selected according to the job and identified risk factors.

Repetitive Cutting and Trimming

Repeated knife strokes and cutting motions can place substantial demands on the hands, wrists, arms, and shoulders.

Potential controls may include:

• Appropriate knife condition.
• Tool selection.
• Workstation adjustment.
• Improved product positioning.
• Mechanical assistance.
• Work-practice changes.
• Task variation where appropriate.

Forceful Exertions

Employees should not be required to use unnecessary force because of poorly maintained knives, unsuitable tools, difficult product positioning, or improperly designed workstations.

Work processes should be evaluated where employees repeatedly perform high-force tasks.

Hand and Wrist Disorders

Employees should be encouraged to report recurring pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, or other symptoms involving the hands and wrists.

Early reporting can allow work practices, tools, or workstation conditions to be evaluated before symptoms become more severe.

Shoulder and Upper-Extremity Disorders

Repeated reaching, elevated arms, forceful cutting, and poor workstation positioning may contribute to shoulder and upper-extremity disorders.

Workstation height and product positioning should be evaluated.

Workstation Design

Workstations should be arranged to reduce unnecessary:

• Elevated-arm work.
• Excessive force.

Where feasible, work heights and equipment should accommodate the employees performing the work.

Tool Design

Knives and other hand tools should be appropriate for the task and maintained in usable condition.

Handle size, shape, grip, blade condition, and required force can affect ergonomic exposure.

Early Symptom Reporting

Employees should be encouraged to report musculoskeletal symptoms early.

Reports should be evaluated without discouraging employees from reporting discomfort or injuries.

Corrective actions should address the work conditions contributing to identified problems where feasible.

Wet Processing Areas

Water used during processing and sanitation can create persistent wet-floor conditions.

Food residue, animal fat, cleaning products, and other materials may further reduce floor traction.

Facilities should provide appropriate drainage, housekeeping, footwear, and work practices.

Slips, Trips and Falls

Slip and trip hazards may include:

• Animal fat.
• Meat residue.
• Cleaning chemicals.
• Drain covers.
• Uneven surfaces.

Hazards should be corrected promptly.

Temporary hazards should be appropriately controlled until eliminated.

Sanitation Hoses

Hoses should be routed and stored to reduce trip hazards.

Employees should avoid placing hoses across exits, stairs, or heavily traveled aisles where practical.

Damaged hoses and fittings should be repaired or replaced.

Floor Drains and Grates

Drain covers and floor grates should be maintained in place and in good condition.

Covers removed for sanitation should be replaced promptly.

Unprotected drain openings should not be left in employee travel areas.

Slip-Resistant Footwear

Footwear should be appropriate for wet, greasy, cold, and other workplace conditions.

Slip resistance may be particularly important in slaughtering, cutting, processing, and sanitation areas.

Other hazards such as falling objects, chemicals, and cold exposure should also be considered.

Cold Processing Areas

Meat-processing employees may spend substantial portions of their shifts in chilled or refrigerated work areas.

Cold can affect comfort, dexterity, grip, and physical performance.

The company should evaluate temperature, exposure duration, moisture, air movement, workload, and employee clothing.

Cold Stress

Where significant cold exposure exists, controls may include:

• Insulated clothing.
• Appropriate footwear.
• Warm-up opportunities.
• Work-practice adjustments.

Employees should understand symptoms associated with excessive cold exposure.

Freezer Safety

Freezers should be maintained to provide safe access and egress.

Employees should report:

• Ice accumulation.
• Defective doors.
• Defective interior release mechanisms.
• Poor lighting.
• Damaged floors.
• Other unsafe conditions.

Personal Protective Equipment

PPE should be selected according to the hazards associated with each task.

Depending on operations, PPE may include:

• Cut-resistant gloves.
• Mesh gloves.
• Arm protection.
• Cut-resistant or protective aprons.
• Chemical-resistant gloves.
• Safety glasses.
• Face shields.
• Hearing protection.
• Protective footwear.
• Insulated clothing.
• Respiratory protection.

PPE should not substitute for required machine guarding or other feasible hazard controls.

Hand Protection

Hand protection should be selected according to the hazard.

Employees may require different protection for:

• Knife work.
• Blade handling.
• General material handling.

Gloves should not be used where they introduce an entanglement hazard around moving machinery.

Eye and Face Protection

Eye and face protection may be necessary for:

• Chemical handling.
• High-pressure cleaning.
• Splash hazards.
• Certain cutting or processing operations.

Face shields should supplement primary eye protection where both are necessary.

Respiratory Protection — When Applicable

Respiratory hazards may arise from chemicals, ammonia, sanitation processes, dust, biological materials, or other operations.

Engineering and other feasible controls should be used where appropriate.

Where respirators are required, the company should implement an applicable Respiratory Protection Program.

Noise Exposure

Meat-processing employees may be exposed to significant noise from:

• Packaging equipment.
• Refrigeration equipment.
• Production machinery.

Employee exposure should be evaluated where warranted.

Hearing Conservation — When Applicable

Where employee noise exposure meets applicable criteria, the company should implement a Hearing Conservation Program addressing:

• Exposure monitoring.
• Audiometric testing.
• Hearing protection.
• Employee training.

Industrial Refrigeration — When Applicable

Meat-processing facilities may use industrial refrigeration systems to maintain processing and storage temperatures.

Employees should understand hazards associated with the refrigerant and equipment present.

Only appropriately trained and authorized employees should operate, maintain, or service refrigeration equipment.

Ammonia Refrigeration — When Applicable

Anhydrous ammonia is commonly used in industrial refrigeration.

An ammonia release can create serious inhalation, skin, eye, and other hazards.

Where ammonia refrigeration is present, procedures may address:

• Refrigeration machinery rooms.
• Piping and valves.
• Equipment inspection.
• Leak detection.
• Emergency shutdown.
• Employee evacuation.
• Emergency response.

Employees should understand alarm and evacuation procedures.

Process Safety Management — When Applicable

Facilities with covered processes involving threshold quantities of highly hazardous chemicals may be subject to OSHA’s Process Safety Management requirements.

Where applicable, the program may address:

• Process safety information.
• Process hazard analysis.
• Operating procedures.
• Employee training.
• Mechanical integrity.
• Management of change.
• Pre-startup safety review.
• Emergency planning.

PSM applicability should be determined according to the chemicals, quantities, processes, and applicable requirements at the facility.

Carbon Dioxide — When Applicable

Carbon dioxide may be used in chilling, freezing, processing, or packaging operations.

A release or accumulation can displace oxygen and create a hazardous atmosphere.

Facilities using significant quantities should evaluate:

• Leak or release hazards.
• Enclosed areas.
• Alarm or monitoring needs.
• Emergency procedures.

Nitrogen — When Applicable

Liquid or gaseous nitrogen may be used in freezing or processing operations.

Nitrogen can displace oxygen, and liquid nitrogen can also create extreme-cold hazards.

Employees should understand the hazards associated with the systems and processes they encounter.

Electrical Safety

Electrical equipment should be appropriate for the environment in which it is used.

Wet and washdown conditions require particular attention to electrical integrity.

Employees should report:

• Damaged cords.
• Damaged enclosures.
• Exposed wiring.
• Defective switches.
• Missing covers.
• Other electrical hazards.

Electrical repairs should be performed only by appropriately qualified persons.

Forklift/PIT Safety — When Applicable

Powered industrial trucks may be used for receiving animals or materials, moving ingredients and packaging, warehouse operations, and shipping finished products.

Operators should be trained and evaluated as required.

Procedures should address:

• Pre-use inspections.
• Loading docks.
• Refrigerated areas.
• Fueling or battery charging.

Material Handling

Employees may handle carcasses, product containers, boxes, ingredients, packaging, drums, pallets, and other materials.

Mechanical assistance should be used where appropriate.

Loads should be transported and stored securely.

Loading Docks

Loading docks can expose employees to forklifts, trucks, trailers, dock edges, dock plates, and moving materials.

Procedures should address:

• Trailer movement.
• Dock edges.
• Pedestrian traffic.
• Material handling.
• Dock equipment.

Receiving and Shipping

Receiving and shipping operations should be organized to control vehicle, forklift, pedestrian, and material-handling hazards.

Employees should maintain communication during loading and unloading activities.

Confined Spaces — When Applicable

Meat-processing facilities may contain tanks, vessels, pits, silos, hoppers, rendering equipment, or other spaces that require evaluation under applicable confined-space requirements.

Potential hazards may include:

• Hazardous atmospheres.
• Mechanical equipment.
• Restricted entry or exit.
• Hazardous energy.

Employees should not enter covered spaces unless applicable entry procedures are followed.

Compressed Air

Compressed air should be used only for appropriate purposes.

Employees should not direct compressed air at themselves or other employees.

When compressed air is used for cleaning, applicable pressure, guarding, and PPE requirements should be followed.

Safer cleaning methods should be used where practical.

Welding, Cutting and Hot Work — When Applicable

Maintenance and fabrication work may involve welding, cutting, brazing, grinding, or other hot work.

Procedures should address:

• Fire hazards.
• Combustible materials.
• Hot-work authorization.
• Compressed gases.
• Fire protection.

Hazard Communication

Facilities using hazardous chemicals should maintain an applicable Hazard Communication Program.

Potential chemicals may include:

• Sanitation chemicals.
• Peracetic acid.
• Chlorine-containing products.
• Hydrogen peroxide.
• Maintenance chemicals.

Employees should have access to labels and Safety Data Sheets and receive required information and training.

Housekeeping

Good housekeeping is particularly important in meat-processing facilities.

Employees should control accumulation of:

• Meat residue.
• Animal fat.
• Other materials.

Aisles, exits, electrical equipment, fire-protection equipment, and emergency equipment should remain accessible.

Walking-Working Surfaces

Floors, platforms, stairs, and other walking-working surfaces should be maintained to reduce hazards.

Employees should report:

• Slippery surfaces.
• Damaged floors.
• Missing grates.
• Unprotected openings.
• Damaged stairs.
• Unsafe platforms.

Temporary hazards should be controlled until corrected.

Fire Prevention

Facilities should identify and control foreseeable fire hazards.

Potential sources may include:

• Hot work.
• Electrical equipment.
• Packaging materials.
• Maintenance operations.
• Flammable or combustible materials.

Employees should maintain access to exits and fire-protection equipment.

Emergency Action Plan

Facilities should establish procedures for foreseeable emergencies, including:

• Ammonia release.
• Chemical release.
• Serious injury.
• Refrigeration emergency.
• Severe weather.
• Power failure.
• Other facility emergencies.

Employees should understand alarms, evacuation procedures, emergency contacts, and assembly locations.

Emergency Egress

Exit routes and exit doors should remain accessible and unobstructed.

Materials, carts, pallets, equipment, and product should not block required exit routes.

Employees should understand the facility’s evacuation routes.

First Aid

First-aid supplies should be readily available according to workplace hazards and applicable requirements.

Employees should know how to obtain emergency medical assistance.

Serious cuts, amputations, crushing injuries, chemical exposure, cold injuries, electrical shock, and other significant injuries require prompt medical attention.

Recordkeeping

Required occupational injuries and illnesses should be recorded and reported according to applicable OSHA requirements.

Recordkeeping procedures should support accurate identification of:

• Cuts and lacerations.
• Musculoskeletal disorders.
• Machine injuries.
• Chemical exposures.
• Slip and fall injuries.
• Other work-related injuries and illnesses.

Incident records should also be reviewed for trends that may indicate the need for additional corrective action.

Contractor Safety

Meat-processing facilities may use contractors for:

• Equipment maintenance.
• Electrical work.
• Pest control.
• Specialized cleaning.

The host employer and contractor should coordinate workplace hazards and applicable procedures.

Contractors should receive appropriate information concerning machinery, hazardous energy, chemicals, refrigeration, emergency procedures, and other hazards that could affect their work.

Temporary Workers

Where temporary employees are used, the host employer and staffing agency should coordinate their respective safety and health responsibilities.

Temporary workers should receive the training and protection necessary for the hazards they encounter.

Temporary or newly assigned employees should not be assumed to understand facility machinery or procedures simply because they have previous general industry experience.

Meat Processing Safety Training

Employees should receive training appropriate to their assigned duties and exposures.

Training may include:

• Knife safety.
• Machine guarding.
• Lockout/Tagout.
• Conveyor safety.
• Sanitation safety.
• Chemical safety.
• Cold stress.
• Slips and falls.
• Forklift safety.
• Ammonia awareness.
• Emergency procedures.

Training should occur before employees independently perform work requiring specialized knowledge, qualification, or authorization.

New and Short-Service Employees

New and inexperienced employees may be unfamiliar with knives, machinery, sanitation procedures, chemicals, production pace, and facility hazards.

Orientation should address applicable hazards before employees begin independent work.

New employees should not operate specialized machinery, perform Lockout/Tagout, operate forklifts, enter confined spaces, or perform other higher-hazard work until required instruction, qualification, or authorization has been completed.

Supervision should reflect the employee’s experience and familiarity with the work.

Poultry Processing — When Applicable

Facilities processing poultry should evaluate hazards specific to their equipment, production methods, sanitation operations, and biological exposures.

Potential hazards may include:

• Live-bird handling.
• Poultry dust and biological materials.
• Highly repetitive cutting and trimming.
• Wet processing areas.
• Powered processing equipment.
• Sanitation chemicals.
• Cold environments.
• Ammonia refrigeration.

Programs should be adapted to the actual poultry-processing operation.

Beef Processing — When Applicable

Beef-processing operations should evaluate hazards associated with slaughter, carcass handling, cutting, deboning, trimming, powered equipment, material handling, sanitation, and refrigeration.

Large carcasses and product sections may create additional lifting, suspended-load, or material-handling hazards.

Pork Processing — When Applicable

Pork-processing operations should evaluate hazards associated with slaughter, carcass handling, cutting, trimming, deboning, processing machinery, sanitation, and refrigeration.

Programs should reflect the specific equipment and production processes used.

Slaughter Operations — When Applicable

Facilities performing slaughtering should address hazards associated with:

• Live animals.
• Animal restraint.
• Stunning and slaughter equipment.
• Carcass handling.
• Cutting equipment.
• Biological exposure.
• Slippery surfaces.
• Material handling.

Procedures should be specific to the species, equipment, and facility.

Further Processing

Further-processing operations may include cutting, grinding, mixing, forming, cooking, smoking, curing, packaging, and other production activities.

Hazards should be evaluated according to the actual machinery and processes involved.

Meat Processing JSA/JHA

JSAs/JHAs can be developed for recurring or higher-hazard activities.

Useful topics may include:

• Knife cutting and deboning.
• Meat-saw operation.
• Grinder operation.
• Conveyor operation.
• Machine sanitation.
• Blade removal.
• Jam clearing.
• Chemical handling.
• Forklift operation.
• Ammonia-system maintenance.
• High-pressure cleaning.
• Confined-space entry.

The JSA/JHA should reflect the actual equipment, product, chemicals, and workplace conditions.

Meat Processing Toolbox Talks

Short safety meetings can reinforce hazards associated with current operations.

Useful topics may include:

• Knife safety.
• Cut-resistant PPE.
• Machine guarding.
• Lockout/Tagout.
• Sanitation safety.
• Wet floors.
• Chemical handling.
• Cold stress.
• Ammonia awareness.
• Hearing protection.
• Emergency procedures.

Toolbox talks supplement formal training but should not replace required regulatory or task-specific training.

Additional Meat Processing Safety Programs

Depending on the machinery, processes, chemicals, equipment, and employee exposures involved, additional programs may include:

• Ammonia Safety.
• Chemical Safety.
• Cold Stress.
• Compressed Air Safety.
• Confined Space.
• Conveyor Safety.
• Electrical Safety.
• Emergency Action Plan.
• Fire Prevention.
• First Aid.
• Forklift/PIT Safety.
• Hand Protection.
• Hazard Communication.
• Hazardous Waste Management.
• Hearing Conservation.
• High-Pressure Water Systems.
• Lockout/Tagout.
• Machine Guarding.
• Manual Lifting and Material Handling.
• Personal Protective Equipment.
• Process Safety Management.
• Respiratory Protection.
• Rigging and Material Handling.
• Slips, Trips and Falls.
• Spill Prevention and Response.
• Walking-Working Surfaces.
• Welding, Cutting and Hot Work.
• Working Alone.

Programs should be selected according to actual operations rather than automatically included simply because a company processes meat.

Building a Meat Processing Safety Manual

The most useful Meat Processing Safety Manual is based on the facility’s actual processes, machinery, and employee exposures.

Consider whether employees:

• Perform slaughtering operations.
• Handle live animals.
• Perform repetitive cutting or deboning.
• Use knives or powered cutting equipment.
• Operate meat saws or grinders.
• Work around conveyors.
• Perform sanitation.
• Remove blades or machine components for cleaning.
• Work with concentrated sanitation chemicals.
• Use high-pressure cleaning equipment.
• Work in refrigerated or frozen environments.
• Work around ammonia refrigeration.
• Operate forklifts.
• Work in high-noise areas.
• Enter tanks, vessels, pits, or other confined spaces.

These activities help determine which individual safety programs should be included.

A small further-processing facility should not receive a manual filled with programs for slaughter operations, ammonia refrigeration, live-animal handling, confined spaces, or industrial equipment it does not have. Likewise, a large slaughtering and processing plant may require extensive programs addressing knives, machine guarding, LOTO, sanitation, ergonomics, ammonia refrigeration, PSM, chemical exposure, biological hazards, industrial trucks, noise, and other specialized hazards.

Customized Meat Processing Safety Manuals

Companies can request a customized Meat Processing Safety Manual containing programs selected according to the facility’s processing operations, machinery, sanitation procedures, chemicals, refrigeration systems, material-handling equipment, and employee exposures.

Manuals can be developed for meat-processing plants, meatpacking facilities, slaughterhouses, beef processors, pork processors, further-processing facilities, rendering operations, and other meat-production businesses.

Applicable programs can be selected for knife safety, machine guarding, Lockout/Tagout, sanitation, ergonomics, conveyors, chemical safety, ammonia refrigeration, PPE, cold stress, forklifts, noise, confined spaces, emergency procedures, and other meat-processing hazards.

Individual safety programs can also be selected when a company needs to add or update a particular program within an existing safety manual.