According to the Department of Labor (DOL), workers in the meat and poultry slaughtering and processing industries are experiencing fewer injuries and illnesses. In fact, from 2004 to 2013, these rates declined from 9.8 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2004 to 5.7 in 2013.
Despite these improvements, the meat and poultry industries remain more hazardous to work in compared with other manufacturing jobs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found dangerous conditions such as tasks connected to musculoskeletal disorders, exposure to chemicals and pathogens and traumatic injuries from machines and tools remain.