Inside the Pitman Family Farms poultry processing plant, hundreds of mostly Latino immigrants endure dangerous conditions, working long hours to slaughter, clean, cut, grind and package organic and free range chicken and turkeys, sold under brands considered ultra high-end and healthy alternatives to regular mainstream birds.
Entering the gray plant, more than half a football field in size, workers’ eyes start to water from the chemicals and lack of ventilation, though not everyone is provided protective goggles, one former employee said. The noise from meat grinders and cutting tools is so loud, workers wear earplugs – when available. Pitman workers are forced to log every minute in the bathroom, and they’re sometimes pressured to work through lunch and overtime, multiple workers contacted by The Fresno Bee said.
And there’s little-to-no training on how to safely wield the sharp, 6-inch, boning knives workers use to process poultry, several employees told The Bee in multiple interviews about working conditions. Workers told state investigators that training was limited to video and “some verbal” instruction.