OSHA issues penalties to Algona factory farm for workplace violations

CCI members organized and filed complaints detailing hazardous working conditions and civil rights violations occurring at the factory farm.

After two consecutive inspections, the Iowa Division of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued citations and notifications of penalty to Anogla Pork LLC, a factory farm in Algona, for serious violations of the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The penalties come after a group of Latino workers organized by Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement had filed a complaint with the federal agency earlier this summer.

The citation includes at least four serious violations, which under Iowa Code Section 88.4 means that the employer failed to furnish facilities that were "free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm” to employees.

“It was time for a state agency to pay attention to these terrible conditions we’ve had to endure at Anogla Pork LLC,” said affected worker and Iowa CCI member Melissa Marquez.

OSHA found that workers were at risk of injury or death if struck by the high pressure water stream from improperly installed power washers. Workers also had received no training on how to operate all parts of the power washers.

The citation also states that Anogla Pork LLC does not supply soap or towels for employees to wash their hands before eating, which exposed workers to serious bacterial contamination. During a meeting in August, workers said that many were experiencing severe gastrointestinal illnesses that they believe were related to working in unsanitary conditions.

OSHA found that Anogla Pork LLC’s employees were routinely exposed to projecting screws inside showers that they had to use at least twice daily, and to various fall hazards in the breeding and farrowing rooms. In addition, OSHA cited Anogla Pork LLC for not having a log of all recordable work-related injuries and illnesses.

“Whenever we got hurt, the managers told us to take Tylenol and just deal with it,” said affected worker and CCI member Lourdes Castro.

Aside from paying fines for thousands of dollars, Anogla Pork LLC must also abate working conditions and notify workers by posting notices near the location where the violations were found.

The group of workers also filed a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission for inhumane working conditions, racial discrimination and harassment at the workplace. The civil rights complaint remains under investigation.

DNR records indicate that the Algona factory farm in question was built in 1998..

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