Federal labor investigators say poultry company’s inaction led to the death of a teenage worker

By MICHAEL GOLDBERG
Associated Press/Report for America

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Federal regulators say a Mississippi poultry plant’s failure to follow safety protocols led to the death of a 16-year-old worker who was pulled into a machine last July. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Tuesday it found numerous safety violations while investigating the workplace death of the Guatemalan worker at the Mar-Jac Poultry plant in Hattiesburg. Investigators cited Mar-Jac for 17 workplace violations from the accident and gave it 15 business days to contest the findings. Mar-Jac did not immediately respond to phone and email messages seeking comment. The company has operations in Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.