A Rapid-Response Survey of Essential Workers in Midwestern Meatpacking Plants: Perspectives on COVID-19 Response in the Workplace

The meatpacking industry has faced significant challenges in maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for its employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in worker illness and death, temporary closures of facilities, reductions in production capacity, and consequences throughout the supply chain. We sought to explore the concerns and perceptions of COVID-19 among meatpacking workers in the Midwestern part of the U.S. We conducted an online survey of meatpacking workers in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri between May 7 and 25, 2020. A total of 585 workers participated (M = 41.3 years, SD = 10.3). More than 72% of workers believed that they were at "high risk" for contracting COVID-19, but less than one half had been tested (42%). Most workers (83%) reported that their employer had instituted some safety measures, but less than one half reported physical distancing on the line (39%), slowing down the line (34%), additional paid time off (28%), or restructuring of shifts (20%). Enforceable standards are needed in the meatpacking industry to reduce COVID-19 transmission. Culturally and linguistically tailored education, paid sick leave, and restructuring of work can reduce the risks of COVID-19 transmission. Transparency on workplace transmission rates is essential to developing strategies to mitigate occupational risks and foster worker trust.

Virtual Outreach: Using Social Media to Reach Spanish-speaking Agricultural Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Face-to-face outreach and in-person training have traditionally been key strategies in reaching agricultural producers, workers, and communities with safety and health information, but the COVID-19 pandemic has forced outreach educators to be creative and find alternative ways to reach, communicate, and share such information. In this commentary, we describe our use of social media to reach Latino/a cattle feedyard workers with COVID-19 related information. As a result of our effort, we reached over 54,000 people and demonstrated there is an audience for Spanish-language agricultural safety and health information. Social media can be a cost-effective method for virtual outreach in this new normal. We should look at this time as an opportunity to learn more about how our stakeholders obtain information and about how best we can connect with them. Although our outreach methods may be changing, our goal is not - we will continue to work to improve the safety and health of those who work in agriculture.