The Joint Poultry Industry Safety Award Program is seeking applications from poultry processing plants, hatcheries, feed mills or rendering facilities with outstanding safety programs.

Applicants must have injury and illness rates below the industry average for three consecutive years and be members of the National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation or U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.

There were 5.9 cases of recordable illness or injury per 100 full-time workers in the poultry processing industry per year, according to the 2010 rate.

“The dramatic reduction in recordable injuries and illnesses is not surprising when you consider the industry’s considerable emphasis on complying with safety regulations and its proactive tackling of safety challenges over a long period of time,” Doug Britton, manager of the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s Agricultural Technology Research Program and one of the award program judges, said in a statement. “The industry’s efforts have changed the way safety is handled in processing plants today.”

Applications are due by March 1. The awards will be presented in June at the National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry in Ponte Vedra, Fla.

 

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