Mississippi Poultry Plant Fined Over $164,000 Following Tragic Death of Teen Worker
Mar-Jac Poultry agrees to pay $164,814 in fines and implement enhanced safety measures after the tragic death of a 16-year-old worker at their Mississippi plant.
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A Mississippi-based poultry processing facility, Mar-Jac Poultry, has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor, agreeing to pay $164,814 in fines. The settlement follows a fatal incident in 2023 in which a 16-year-old worker tragically lost his life while operating machinery at the plant.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted an investigation into the incident, which occurred on July 14, 2023. The investigation revealed that the young worker was fatally injured after being pulled into a machine during cleaning operations.
Kurt Petermeyer, OSHA's Regional Administrator in Atlanta, expressed deep concern over the incident. "It is a tragedy that a young life was lost before Mar-Jac Poultry implemented the necessary safety measures," said Petermeyer. "This settlement holds the company accountable, requiring them to enhance their safety protocols to prevent future tragedies. By increasing supervision and improving training, we can significantly reduce the risks faced by workers in the meat processing industry."
Mar-Jac Poultry, headquartered in Gainesville, Georgia, has been a significant player in the poultry production industry since 1954, with facilities in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. The company supplies poultry products to food service clients both domestically and internationally.
Despite repeated warnings and fines from OSHA regarding safety concerns, Mar-Jac Poultry had not taken adequate action to address these issues, according to Jim Reeves, the attorney representing the victim’s family. "Mar-Jac has long been aware of these safety hazards but failed to act. We hope that this time they will take the necessary steps to ensure no other worker suffers a similar fate," Reeves told WHLT-TV.
In addition to the OSHA fines, the victim’s family has filed a lawsuit against Mar-Jac Poultry MS, LLC, and Onin Staffing, alleging that the teen’s death was a result of the company’s negligence. The lawsuit claims that Mar-Jac failed to adhere to safety regulations, including not shutting down machinery during cleaning. It also accuses Onin Staffing of illegally assigning the underaged worker to the plant.
As of now, Mar-Jac Poultry has not provided a comment on the settlement or the lawsuit.
