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In North Carolina, poultry workers are quitting in large numbers after an unknown chemical was introduced at their plant
The Counter ^ | 10 18 2021 | Tina Vasquez

Posted on 10/18/2021 8:48:19 PM PDT by yesthatjallen

Workers at the Mountaire Farms poultry plant in rural Robeson County, North Carolina, say that about four months ago, something changed. At the time, they couldn’t immediately identify the strange new chemical they’d begun to smell floating around the production lines. But one day things were running as expected, and the next there was a sharp, suffocating kind of odor that one worker said felt like it “invaded your brain.”

“It stings your eyes and throat; it’s like a burning in your nasal cavity,” said Sharon, an immigrant who has worked at Mountaire’s Lumber Bridge plant for more than a decade and asked not to be identified by her real name because she fears retaliation from her employer. “Whatever it is, it gives us headaches and it makes us sneeze. It causes a lot of mucus and it makes it feel like your throat is cracking. It’s something in the water with the chickens because if the mist gets in your eyes, it stings like acid.”

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 requires employers to provide a workplace free from hazards that can cause death or serious physical harm to employees. While poultry plants are inherently dangerous workplaces and the repetitive motions of the job can take a serious toll on workers’ bodies, the onus is entirely on processors to properly manage the risks associated with chemical use.

SNIP

(Excerpt) Read more at thecounter.org ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: kmg; mountairefarms; northcarolina; poultry; robesoncounty
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To: alexander_busek

The original premise of this thread about the chemicals, proposals to notify ohsa and condemnation of illegal workers, etc., etc. Just show that the system is breaking down / has broken down. No is to far fetched anymore. I put nothing past the government or industry.


21 posted on 10/19/2021 1:55:13 AM PDT by .44 Special (Taimid Buacharch)
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To: Chad C. Mulligan

“Ammonia leak?”

Likely it, from one of the large chillers.


22 posted on 10/19/2021 2:39:48 AM PDT by BobL (I shop at Walmart and eat at McDonald's, I just don't tell anyone, like most here.)
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To: fini

No confidence in anything Federal gub mint.


23 posted on 10/19/2021 2:46:20 AM PDT by Joe Boucher (Kimber .45 )
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To: yesthatjallen

Sounds like my Dad farted!


24 posted on 10/19/2021 2:53:00 AM PDT by Babba Gi
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To: Veto!

The only way to go.


25 posted on 10/19/2021 2:54:33 AM PDT by waterhill (I would rather Texas had not joined the Union. )
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To: yesthatjallen

Its weird that this is just that one plant in a multi-plant business. I suspect that one reason why Spanish-speaking workers seem to be preferred is to use the language barrier to businesses benefit for keeping things out of the news. You have to figure, though, that animal-rights groups are going to want to shut them down, and these guys speak English, and they write press-releases. It may be too that there is a covid spike going on there. OSHA might be this company’s best friend in this, this is a huge operation and if bad things of any sort are happening at this one plant (including excessive use of ammonia) it needs to be nipped in the bud.


26 posted on 10/19/2021 4:06:24 AM PDT by BlackAdderess
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To: fini
A call to OSHA could clear this up pretty quickly.

Sorry we missed your call. We're busy forcing people to get the jab

27 posted on 10/19/2021 4:36:54 AM PDT by Pollard (PureBlood)
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To: Chad C. Mulligan

NO, It was probably fresh air being pumped in. If you have ever been near one of these plants fresh air is in real short supply.

Kinda like a truck load of pigs being used for air freshener in DC.


28 posted on 10/19/2021 4:40:36 AM PDT by oldasrocks
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To: Pocketdoor
Probably mixed bleach and amonia... Doesn’t that make phosgene or something?

Bleach + Ammonia = Chlorine and Chloramine gas.

Using open source fire (torches, etc.) around Freon = Phosgene gas.
29 posted on 10/19/2021 4:44:04 AM PDT by farming pharmer (fork you :(){ :|:& };:)
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To: yesthatjallen
"...said Sharon, an immigrant who has worked at Mountaire’s Lumber Bridge plant for more than a decade and asked not to be identified by her real name because she fears retaliation from her employer. "

...and INS

30 posted on 10/19/2021 4:50:11 AM PDT by Hatteras
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To: farming pharmer

Unknown chemical. Covid vaccine?


31 posted on 10/19/2021 5:00:22 AM PDT by salmon76 (Biden says "Corn Pop told me to send the troops home before the civilians")
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To: Born to Conserve

Make a robot that can pluck a chicken and the world will beat a path to your door.


32 posted on 10/19/2021 5:00:37 AM PDT by OKSooner (6uild 6ack 6etter)
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To: Chad C. Mulligan

That’s what poultry plants have here when they have leaks. Over the years, there’s been quite a few. it should have been identified pretty quickly.


33 posted on 10/19/2021 6:04:27 AM PDT by BipolarBob (Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand.)
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To: OKSooner
"Make a robot that can pluck a chicken and the world will beat a path to your door."

That was invented a very long time ago. You don't process a million chickens a day with manual feather plucking.

34 posted on 10/19/2021 6:09:22 AM PDT by Flint
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To: Mogger

Yah, I used to work in purchasing and there is lots of pressure to reduce costs — which is a good thing. But, some purchasing folks (usually when pursuing a bonus) ignore their internal clients’ preferences and listen to some Sales&Markt. TWOT’s lies about “new and better” crappola.

The MDS paperwork is probably in some reviewer’s INBOX while the guy there is asking: “Who the ‘Ell approved this crappola?”


35 posted on 10/19/2021 6:41:51 AM PDT by bobbo666 (Baizuo)
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To: Big Red Badger

I know a sailor in the biz...


36 posted on 10/19/2021 6:42:58 AM PDT by moovova (I'm dismayed that most of the world hates me for being non-vaxxed. Honest. No, really.)
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To: yesthatjallen

Aerosolized COVID-19 vaccine.

Breathe deep the gathering gloom...


37 posted on 10/19/2021 6:45:42 AM PDT by moovova (I'm dismayed that most of the world hates me for being non-vaxxed. Honest. No, really.)
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To: alexander_busek

NAILED IT


38 posted on 10/19/2021 7:21:31 AM PDT by ridesthemiles ( )
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To: yesthatjallen

Must be the chlorine wash for the exports to the UK...

(Do a search for UK + chlorine + chicken... was a big deal during the Brexit / trade deal discussions)


39 posted on 10/19/2021 9:26:30 AM PDT by Moltke (Reasoning with a liberal is like watering a rock in the hope to grow a building.)
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