Personal protective equipment and work safety climate among Latino poultry processing workers in Western North Carolina, USA

Abstract

Background: Job-appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is important for decreasing the high rates of occupational injury experienced by poultry processing workers.

Objectives: This analysis describes the job-appropriate PPE provided to poultry processing workers by their employers and the PPE used by these workers, and it delineates the association of work safety climate with job-appropriate PPE.

Methods: Data are from a cross-sectional study of 403 Latino poultry processing workers in North Carolina.

Results: Most poultry processing workers are not provided with nor use job-appropriate PPE; however, more workers use PPE than are provided. The provision and use of PPE differs by employer. Work safety climate was associated with use of job-appropriate PPE.

Conclusions: Poultry processing workers should be provided with job-appropriate PPE. Workers’ use of PPE is an indicator of safety climate. Further research about work safety climate and other work organization characteristics and job safety characteristics is needed.

Keywords:

• Manufacturing
• Immigrant workers
• Personal protective equipment
• Organization of work
• Work safety culture

Funding is provided by a grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (R01-OH009251).

Disclosure: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.