Of the more than 300 employers who have accrued safety penalties during the coronavirus pandemic, only about one-third have paid, according to an investigation by Reuters.

The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis on Monday, February 1, launched an investigation into widespread COVID-19 infections and deaths in US meatpacking plants. Representative James Clyburn, Chairman of the Subcommittee, sent letters to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods and JBS USA.

Meatpacking workers and their employers are pushing to the front of the line for coronavirus vaccinations as state governments roll out their distribution plans to combat the pandemic, according to Bloomberg Law.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa and other groups filed a federal complaint against the state's Occupational Safety and Health Administration on November 13, 2020, saying regulators failed to protect workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Iowa regulators have issued their first citation to a meatpacking plant with a large coronavirus outbreak that sickened its workforce — a $957 fine for a minor record-keeping violation, reports the Associated Press.

OSHA has cited a second large meat production company for failing to protect employees from exposure to the coronavirus.

OSHA has cited Smithfield Packaged Meats Corp. in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for failing to protect employees from exposure to the coronavirus.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Food and Drug Administration developed a checklist for human and animal food manufacturers to consider when continuing, resuming or reevaluating operations due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has signed an alliance with the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) to provide information, guidance and access to training resources for protecting workers in the meatpacking and processing industry from exposures to the coronavirus.

Addressing safety and health issues in the workplace saves employers money and adds value to their businesses. According to the National Safety Council's Injury Facts 2017 Edition, estimates place the total costs associated with work-related deaths and injuries at $142.5 billion in 2015.