A Tyson Foods employee died in an industrial accident at the company’s poultry plant in Vienna, Georgia.
The accident occurred on a loading dock around 1:40 p.m. September 4, according to a report from the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The victim was identified as a 58-year-old man, but his name has not yet been released.
In an email to WATT Global Media, Tyson Foods issued the following statement concerning the incident: “We’re investigating the tragic death of a maintenance team member at our Vienna poultry plant. We’ve notified local authorities as well as OSHA about the accident, but have no other details to share at this time. We’re deeply saddened by the accident and extend our thoughts and prayers to the team member’s family, friends and co-workers.”
Tyson Foods announced in 2015 it was expanding the facility in Vienna. That project included the addition of about 100,000 square feet. Improvements to the plant included new equipment and production lines, as well as processes and technology designed to benefit food safety, quality and workplace safety. The expansion led to the addition of about 500 jobs.
The administration area of Tyson Foods’ Vienna plant was damaged by a storm in October 2019, prompting operations at the plant to be temporarily halted.
Tyson Foods, according to the WATTPoultry.com Top Companies Database, is the largest broiler producer in the United States and the second largest in the world, trailing only Brazil-based JBS. In 2019, Tyson Foods processed 200.47 million pounds of ready-to-cook chicken on a weekly basis. The company is headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas.
Tyson Foods is also the fifth largest turkey producer in the United States, having slaughtered 368 million pounds of live turkeys in 2019.
Additionally, Tyson Foods is a major processor of beef and pork. The company has also expanded into the production of plant-based protein products.
