OSHA Meat-Plant Inspections Increase After Trump Executive Order

The main federal agency policing workplace safety standards has nearly doubled inspections of meat-processing plants since pledging to use “enforcement discretion” when conducting coronavirus-related reviews at slaughterhouses that try to follow agency guidance.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened 24 inspections of processing plants since April 28, when President Donald Trump’s executive order required meat-production plants to remain open despite worker infections and the agency released an enforcement memo outlining its discretionary approach. That’s an increase of roughly 70% over the 14 inspections of processing plants launched between that date and March 16, the first business day after ...