Cargill Turkey Production LLC's hatchery in Harrisonburg, Va., has received the "Star" status as part of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP).
The OSHA safety programs are designed to recognize and promote effective safety and health management. In the Voluntary Protection Program, management, labor and OSHA establish a cooperative relationship at a workplace to implement safety programs. The Star program is designed for worksites with exemplary health and safety programs that go beyond the minimum regulatory requirements established by OSHA.
"We started the quest to become a VPP Star site six years ago," said Connie Isenhart, hatchery manager. "During that time, we have had three managers, but what has been consistent through this process has been the hourly employees and their dedication to safety.”
The Hatchery has 44 employees and the capacity to hatch more than 17 million poults per year. The poults are placed on farms in Virginia, North and South Carolina, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
"I find it impressive that even with changes in management, the employee engagement and dedication to safety never wavered," Isenhart said. "They truly are an amazing group of people."
The VPP process includes 19 requirements in which employers must demonstrate that they have programs in place to effectively identify, evaluate, prevent, and control occupational hazards. The facility's injury incident rate must also be below the industry average. More information on VPP and the Star site status can be found at www.osha.gov.
About Cargill Turkey Production
Cargill Turkey Production LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Minneapolis-based Cargill. Cargill Turkey Production provides feed and turkeys to Cargill Value Added Meats, a Cargill meat further processing business based in Wichita, Kan. Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865, our privately held company employs 159,000 people in 68 countries.