The Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ordered the Iowa Premium Beef Plant to pay a fine of 95 7,957 after hundreds of its workers fell ill with COVID-19 earlier this year.
The meatpacking plant was not cited for any health and safety violations, either – fines were imposed for “serious” violations for failing to keep logs required for workplace-related injuries and illnesses and for failing to produce such logs. Its four hours are being requested by regulators.
Citing an inspection record released Thursday, the Associated Press was the first to report OSHA penalties. The APA added that OHSA originally fined the company $ 1,914, but it reached a settlement in half.
The Iowa Premium Beef Plant in Iowa, Tama, saw construction here in 2014, but was temporarily shut down earlier this year after hundreds of its workers tested positive for COVID-19. (AP, file by Matthew Putney / The Courier)
The Tama-based Iowa Premium Beef Plant was temporarily shut down for two weeks in April after workers began reporting illness. In subsequent tests determined by the state health department, 8,338 employees contracted Kovid-1 cont, although the department noted only 888 employees were ill, and later found discrepancies on faulty records.
555 workers at a potential Tyson plant tested in Iowa for coronavirus
The Iowa OSHA soon faced a backlash for controlling its observation, as well as for the repercussions of its outbreak.
On May 21, six weeks after shuttering and resumption of plant production, inspectors with the Iowa OSHA observed employees at the Iowa Premium Beef Plant working nearby without any plastic barriers. The plant later installed such barriers by April 20 and, according to the AP, “where possible.” At the time, the company also required employees to wear surgical-style masks, submit for temperature checks and withhold their breaks.
Click here to sign up for our Lifestyle Newsletter
Despite this, Tim Clay, CEO of National Beef, which owns the plant, in a statement obtained by the AP on Wednesday, praised the company for “quickly adjusting our processes and protocols to improve safety.”
According to the outlet report, Iowa regulators also inspected four other meatpacking plants, where large outbreaks have been reported, but no other citations have been issued, the outlet said.
Click here to get the Fox News app
The Associated Press contributes to this report.
