Source: Modesto Times
A worker died in an accident Monday evening on a Foster Farms turkey processing line in Turlock.
He was identified as Luis Salazar, 30, of Turlock by the Stanislaus County Coroner’s Office. The cause of death is under investigation by the company and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health.
The accident happened at the complex on the 500 block of F Street where the Livingston-based business processes all of its turkey.
An email statement from Cal-OSHA said the agency was told that Salazar had fallen asleep and was awakened by coworkers several times before the accident.
“He was later pulled into the production conveyor by his neck, resulting in fatal crushing injuries to his skull, and pronounced dead at the scene,” Cal-OSHA said.
Adjacent plants
About 1,300 of the 12,000 employees of Foster Farms work in the Turlock complex, made up of two large plants. Salazar was hired through Marcos Renteria AG Services Inc., a labor contractor.
Foster Farms closed part of the plant Tuesday and planned to reopen it Wednesday. Ira Brill, vice president of communications, said he could not discuss details of the accident but did email a statement:
“At Foster Farms we strive to maintain a safe workplace for our employees and for those we do business with. The company conducts ongoing safety training programs and has a strong safety record. … We are conducting a complete investigation in conjunction with local law enforcement and representatives of OSHA.”
Cal-OSHA has up to six months to complete its investigation, a spokesperson said.
Fund for worker’s family
Salazar’s sister, Melanie Ayala, started a GoFundMe page to cover funeral expenses.
“We have no words to describe our pain,” she wrote. “We thank every single one of you who have showed support during this time.”
Foster Farms is one of the largest private employers in the San Joaquin Valley. It has chicken plants in Livingston, Fresno, Porterville, Oregon, Washington, Louisiana and Alabama.
“We greatly regret this loss of life and extend our sympathies to family and friends,” the company statement said.
Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said Cal-OSHA had released the information about Salazar falling asleep on the production line. That came from an outside source, the agency said.
