The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found employees at a cattle processing plant in Lone Jack, Mo., were exposed to high levels of carbon dioxide.
The plant, operated by ZMDR LLC under the name Republic Foods, has been cited seven times by OSHA since March 2020 for endangering workers, according to a Feb. 6 news release.
“Exposing workers to high levels of carbon dioxide can cause serious illnesses and even death,” OSHA Area Director Karena Lorek said in the release.
Despite knowing about hazardous levels of carbon dioxide, the company failed to implement employee monitoring or effective engineering controls to limit workers’ exposure, the release reported. OSHA has proposed $573,913 in penalties for Republic Foods for two willful, four repeated and seven serious safety and health violations.
OSHA measurements from September 2022 showed workers were exposed to carbon dioxide levels far exceeding the permissible exposure level of 5,000 parts per million, according to the release. The company was cited by OSHA in November 2020 for exposing workers to hazardous levels of carbon dioxide at the Missouri plant.
OSHA also found the company exposed workers to slip, trip and fall hazards; failed to have required machine guarding in place; and violated electrical workplace safety standards, the release reported.
OSHA has issued the company 35 citations in five inspections from its opening in 2020 to May 2022, with one additional inspection still open, the release reported. Republic Foods has 15 business days to comply, request an informal conference or contest the findings.
The company produces prime, choice and select cuts of beef for retail and food service customers, according to the release. Lorek said exposing workers to high levels of carbon dioxide can cause serious illnesses and death, and Republic Foods failed to protect its workers.
