AR-News: (U.S.) worker's death costs Tyson's $436,000

[Mary Finelli]

TYSON FOODS WORKER'S DEATH BY ASPHYXIATION COSTS COMPANY $436,000
Associated Press, Tom Parsons (The Agribusiness Examiner, A.V. Krebs, April 
14, 2004)


Tyson Foods Inc., the world's largest meat processor, was fined $436,000 on 
[April 9] in the asphyxiation death of a worker at a Texarkana plant.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the citations after 
investigating the October 10 death of Jason Edward Kelly, 31, at the 
company's River Valley animal feed plant.

Officials with the Springdale-based company said they had yet to review the 
OSHA citations, but "we do anticipate that ... we will disagree with the 
assertions made." The company also said that it values safety and has a 
comprehensive program to protect its workers.

OSHA said Kelly was repairing leaks in equipment used to process chicken 
feathers to make a pet-food additive, when he inhaled hydrogen sulfide, 
which the agency said is "a poisonous gas created by decaying organic 
matter." Kelly collapsed and died at the plant.

Tyson was cited for five willful violations, 12 serious violations and two 
other violations following the OSHA inspection.

According to the agency, the willful violations included failure to protect 
workers from exposure to excessive amounts of hydrogen sulfide; not having a 
proper, written hazard-communication program; not properly identifying 
hazardous chemicals; and not properly training workers to deal with hydrogen 
sulfide.

"Willful violations are those committed with an intentional disregard of or 
plain indifference to" OSHA regulations, the agency said.

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