Safety Award Application Deadline is March 15th

To recognize those facilities that have achieved a high level of safety performance through the implementation of innovative and effective safety and health programs, the Joint Poultry Industry Safety and Health Council announces the first annual safety award program. The program is open to National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association members with poultry processing plants, hatcheries, feed mills or rendering facilities that have injury and illness rates below the industry average for three consecutive years.

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It's Not Too Late To Register For The 2010 Feed Mill Management Seminar

Registration continues for the 2010 Feed Mill Management Seminar. This program addresses practical ideas to improve production and efficiency in poultry feed mills. Topics cover milling functions from receiving ingredients to feed manufacturing to delivery. Sponsored by U.S. Poultry & Egg Association’s Poultry & Egg Institute, the conference will be held March 10-11, at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville, TN. Register today at http://www.poultryegginstitute.org/educationprograms/index.cfm#fmms and join us for this exciting program.

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Labor Law – Hollywood Style

In honor of the upcoming Academy Awards Richard Meneghello of Fisher & Phillips LLP takes a look back at movies – great and not so great – whose plots address employment law issues.

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Your I-9 forms: The 5 Most Common Mistakes … and How to Avoid Them

How can a seemingly simple one page form cause so many headaches? The Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) form must be completed and maintained for all employees regardless of their citizenship status. And as its title describes, it is meant to verify the employment eligibility of an employee through his or her identity and work authorization documents. Listed below are the five most common mistakes employers make, and how to avoid them.

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Illegal Workers Slip by System

Thousands of companies currently participate in E-Verify, the Internet-based system designed to confirm the eligibility of job applicants, on a voluntary basis or as a requirement to do business with the U.S. government. According to an evaluation of E-Verify conducted on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security, the program may be properly identifying only one out of two illegal workers whose employment authorizations are screened.

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OSHA Cites Feed Mill for Combustible Dust Violations

OSHA continues its crackdown on combustible dust hazards and appears to be increasing the penalties associated with the citations. This facility was cited for the improper location of a dust collection system and for poor housekeeping with accumulations of dust exceeding 1/8 inch.

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NCC Releases Revised Program on Animal Welfare

Recently the National Chicken Council (NCC) released its revised Animal Welfare Guidelines and Audit Checklist, the industry-standard program for assessment of animal-welfare programs and practices in broiler and broiler-breeder operations. A task force of industry veterinarians and other experts recommended the revisions which were approved by the NCC Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

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