Operations at a Tyson Foods poultry plant in Hope, Arkansas, remained suspended on April 25 after the release of ammonia was reported at the plant two days earlier.
The poultry plant was evacuated on April 23 after the ammonia release was first discovered around 3 a.m. The plant was not in operation at the time, but about 60 workers were at the facility and were evacuated, company spokesman Gary Mickelson said.
Eight sanitation workers were taken to a local hospital. Seven of those were evaluated and released, while the other was transferred to a hospital in Little Rock for treatment.
The ammonia release has since been contained, and Tyson Foods’ operations and safety specialists are now investigating the cause of the release, Mickelson said.
Worker safety remains a high concern of Tyson Foods, which recently released a segment dealing with workplace safety initiatives and the use of third-party audits to evaluate plant performances dealing with worker treatment, safety and environmental impacts. The segment is a part of Tyson’s latest sustainability report.
