AMI, OSHA Sign Two-Year Renewal of Alliance to Enhance Worker Safety

ARLINGTON, VA, July 13, 2004 -- The American Meat Institute (AMI) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) signed a two-year renewal of an Alliance ( http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/alliances/ami/ami.html) that will continue providing more opportunities to advance workplace safety and health within the industry. The extension was announced by OSHA Administrator John Henshaw.

In a statement, Henshaw said, "Our Alliance with AMI has facilitated greater opportunities to work together with the meat industry to address industry-specific issues, including ergonomics. The result has been a number of products and programs that will enhance the safety and health of workers in the industry. It's important that we continue that progress, and we're pleased that AMI wants to continue this productive relationship."

According to AMI President J. Patrick Boyle, "The meat industry's Alliance with OSHA is a positive, constructive strategy for enhancing worker safety in meat plants. Our joint efforts, nearly two years old now, have yielded tangible results. We're pleased to extend this partnership for a second two-year period and we're confident that it will continue to yield positive results."

AMI will continue to assist in maintaining and updating OSHA's Safety and Health Topics page, OSHA Assistance for the Meat Packing Industry. Six meat industry experts review the page on a regular basis. AMI and OSHA also held a workshop for OSHA staff, including state plan and consultation projects in the Atlanta region. The workshop discussed hazards in the meat processing workplace, and various safety and health programs that meat industry employers have implemented. AMI also participated in the development and review of the first section for OSHA's web-based training tool ("eTool") for ammonia refrigeration, expected to be available on OSHA's website later this summer.

The alliance renewal calls for a continued focus on reducing and preventing exposure to ergonomic hazards and jointly disseminating information and guidance in Spanish and other languages.

In 1990, AMI and OSHA together developed Voluntary Ergonomic Guidelines for the Meat Packing Industry. These release of these guidelines was a turning point for the meat industry with injury and illness rates in the meat industry showing steady declines since that times.

AMI represents the interests of packers and processors of beef, pork, lamb, veal and turkey products and their suppliers throughout North America. Together, AMI's members produce 95 percent of the beef, pork, lamb and veal products and 70 percent of the turkey products in the U.S. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute provides legislative, regulatory, public relations, technical, scientific and educational services to the industry. Its affiliate, the AMI Foundation, is a separate 501(c)3 organization that conducts research, education and information projects for the industry.