Coronavirus Outbreaks at Food Processing Plants Have Inspectors 'Fearful' and Employees Staying Home
USDA is not providing employees protective equipment, and until recently, prohibited the use of masks.
Federal food inspectors are raising concerns about the conditions at their workplaces as several processing plants across the country have seen spikes in employees testing positive for COVID-19.
The outbreaks could impact operations at slaughterhouses and other plants around the country as Agriculture Department employees stay home due to illness, potential exposure or fear of contracting the novel coronavirus. The inspectors' concerns have been heightened by what they view as an inconsistent and incomplete response from their USDA agency, the Food Safety Inspection Service, which has not made protective equipment such as masks available to its workforce.
At the outset of the pandemic, FSIS told employees they were not permitted to wear masks because of the fears it could create in the workplace, according to multiple inspectors. That policy appeared to override existing FSIS guidance that employees could wear N95 masks if they felt comfortable and received permission to do so. The agency reversed course on Monday, now allowing inspectors to wear their own masks at food processing plants. It added, however, the workers must ask the company operating the plant for permission to wear the masks and remove them if the plant makes such a request.
(snip)
As employees voice their fears, several plants around the country have emerged as coronavirus hotspots. At a Smithfield Foods pork plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, more than 80 plant employees have tested positive for the virus. The plant initially refused to close, largely at the direction of the federal government.
“They have been told by the federal government to stay open,” Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken said at a press conference on Thursday. Smithfield’s CEO, Ken Sullivan, exited a call with the mayor on Thursday to speak with USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue so Perdue could stress “the importance of staying open,” TenHaken said.
More:
https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2020/04/coronavirus-outbreaks-food-processing-plants-have-inspectors-fearful-and-employees-staying-home/164501/
