The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Wholestone Farms Cooperative Inc., a Nebraska-based farm cooperative, for three serious safety and health violations. This follows an investigation initiated by a complaint in March 2024. OSHA has proposed penalties amounting to $36,873.

The violations are primarily concerned with ergonomic stressors that could lead to musculoskeletal disorders among employees working in the palletizing area. According to OSHA, workers were required to manually lift boxes weighing up to 99 pounds from the conveyor onto pallets at floor level, stacking them as high as nine boxes. The repetitive nature of these tasks and the weight involved put employees at risk of injury.

Additionally, Wholestone Farms was cited for exposing workers to slip and fall hazards due to damaged and uneven surfaces in the shipping department's cold storage area. Aisles and passageways were not kept clear or in good repair, further endangering employee safety.

"Musculoskeletal injuries are among the most frequent causes of lost or restricted work time and a known hazard in the meatpacking industry," stated OSHA Area Director Matthew Thurlby in Omaha, Nebraska. "Such injuries occur when lifting heavy items, bending, working in awkward body postures and performing the same or similar tasks repetitively."

Thurlby emphasized that these types of injuries can be prevented through effective ergonomics programs that include training, hazard analysis and control, medical management, and process evaluation aimed at limiting muscle strain.

Wholestone Farms has been given 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply with OSHA's findings. They may also request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

For more information on OSHA’s Ergonomics Program Management Guidelines for meatpacking plants or industry-recognized safety rules for agricultural operations, additional resources are available.