TAR HEEL, N.C. (WTVD)– A week after Smithfield Foods closed its South Dakota pork processing plant– among the biggest in the nation, one worker at the business’s North Carolina center stated she is concerned for her health and safety on the task.
An agent with the packing plant said out of regard for its employees, they won’t verify any COVID-19 cases at the Smithfield Packaging plant in Tar Heel. Employees said safety measures are now in location at the facility, but they worry it may be too late.
” I don’t have any signs, however whose to state that 3 days from now I wont? I might start having signs,” stated a worker who wanted to not be identified.
She is a staff member of the Smithfield Foods packing plant in Tar Heel. ABC11 safeguarded her identity in an effort to prevent retaliation. She is so scared about contracting the infection that she left work early last week and will not be in this week.
” I have kids. I have a son with asthma. I can’t pay for to get ill and bring that home to my kid. I’m risking his life and my life. It’s just not right,” said the employee.
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Recently, our Troubleshooter Diane Wilson brought you a story where an employee at the Smithfield plant stated management told workers they can make $500 benefit on their May 15 paycheck if they don’t miss or aren’t late to any shifts.
Workers are still running within close quarters regardless of CDC standards. Employees said they stand next to each other on the line flooring.
” Meat needs to be straight on top of each other going down lines,” stated the employee. “It’s going to take forever if everyone is spaced out. We’re still straight next to each other with these little black things on the side of us serving no function.”
She said temperature screening has actually been carried out at the start of each shift, plexiglass has been included and masks were distributed.
We reached out to Smithfield Foods, and a representative directed us to its website. On the business’s website, it mentions:
We have actually instituted a series of strict and in-depth processes and protocols that follow the stringent assistance of the Centers for Disease Control and Avoidance (CDC) to successfully handle any potential COVID-19 cases in our operations. These include obligatory 14- day COVID-19 associated quarantines with pay as an uncompromising effort to secure our dedicated staff members. We’ve likewise relaxed presence policies to eliminate any punitive result for missing work due to COVID-19 medical diagnosis or quarantine.
In addition, we are taking the following measures to decrease our team members’ dangers of capturing COVID-19:
- Added additional hand sanitizing stations
- Improved individual protective devices
- Continuing to stress value of individual hygiene
- Enhanced cleansing and disinfection
- Expanded employee health advantages
- Carrying out thermal scanning
- Increased social distancing in typical locations
- Installed plexiglass barriers
- Restricting all excessive visitors
All these actions match the substantial safety measures in location at all our places and are on top of the incredibly hygienic and hygienic environments preserved at all times in our market for food safety and quality functions. We’re also guaranteeing staff members know how to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 and ensuring that they know how COVID-19 spreads. We continue to actively monitor CDC guidance, along with that of state and regional health authorities and are instantly taking all required actions to safeguard our staff members.
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