Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Pa. House passes Haddock bill to protect food processing workers

Pa. House passes Haddock bill to protect food processing workers

Rep. Jim Haddock    February 4, 2026 | 3:29 PM

HARRISBURG, Feb. 4 – Workers in the dangerous meat packing and food processing industries would be better protected under legislation passed today by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, according to prime sponsor state Rep. Jim Haddock.

Haddock’s H.B. 1923 would help strengthen protections by:

  • creating training requirements for employees in the meat packing and food processing industry. The training would have to be provided in languages that at least 5% of the employees speak.
  • having employers cover the out-of-pocket cost of emergency medical transport for workers whose workplace injuries cannot be treated on site.
  • establishing facility health and safety committees.
  • establishing duties for the state Department of Labor and Industry and granting investigatory powers.
  • imposing administrative penalties for violations.

“This is not unique to Pennsylvania, and there are other states that have these protections. Meat packing and food processing are among the most dangerous professions in the country,” said Haddock, D-Luzerne/Lackawanna.

Pennsylvania has over 2,300 food processing facilities and ranks among the top in the nation for food processing exports. Food produced and manufactured by the industry is strictly regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Federal Drug Administration, and various state-level regulations.

However, Haddock said Pennsylvania needs a law that is tailored to protect workers in these dangerous industries.

Recent data compiled by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration explained that in the 29 states covered under federal OSHA, 27 workers a day suffered amputation or other hospitalization between 2015 and 2023 in meat packing alone. Some of the most frequently reported injuries are repetitive strain injuries, chemical burns, exposure to hazardous chemicals, caught-between falls, lacerations and cuts, amputations and more.

“If a plant needs to shut down to investigate an accident, that plant loses a day’s worth of work. If an injured worker is no longer in the industry because he’s in the hospital, that causes expense for the employer to retrain or replace that worker,” Haddock said. “So, there are many aspects of this bill that will help businesses that are in meatpacking become safer, operate more efficiently and stop downtime from happening.”

The bill heads to the state Senate for consideration.

During the 2023-24 session, Haddock's similar legislation (H.B. 2235) passed the state House, but it was not considered by the Senate Labor and Industry Committee.