Poultry industry safety professionals attending the 2025 National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry were presented with solutions to an array of current and emerging issues. The three-day event included speaker presentations, discussions, and small group breakout sessions, all of which provided opportunities for attendees to get answers to their valuable questions. Suggestions for short-, medium- and long-term safety culture improvement were provided, with accessible strategies that can be implemented immediately. The conference also recognized outstanding achievements with the announcement of the 2025 Safety Award winners.

During his Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) update, Kurt Petermeyer, regional administrator with the OSHA Atlanta Region, shared information on OSHA’s current priorities, including enforcement efforts, inspection data and whistleblower protections. He also commented that OSHA is working to meet employers “where they are” through on-site consultations, recognition programs and updated rules in progress on issues such as heat, fall prevention and hazardous machinery.

James Ferrell, senior director of safety and security at Perdue Farms, discussed serious injury and fatality prevention, emphasizing that safety is not just the absence of injuries but the capacity to make work go well and recover when issues arise. Safety professionals were encouraged to shift from focusing solely on lagging indicators to building capacity through risk evaluation, hazard controls, continuous improvement and a strong safety culture.

A panel discussion on “Guiding Lights for Safety Professionals” was moderated by Kari Waters, head of safety with Pilgrim’s, and included perspectives from Pam Satchel, senior manager of area safety for Tyson Foods; Allan Foy, general manager of Huntingburg operations at Farbest Foods; and Rick Hellinga, senior director of health, safety and loss prevention at Simmons Foods. Gaining trust, staying ahead of risk and mentorship were all topics that were explored. Incorporating personnel from other departments, including operations, HR and medical staff, was also identified as key to gaining trust within the facility and improving relationships with those different departments.

Another panel discussion, addressing leadership collaboration with safety and operations in medical management and crisis intervention, was moderated by Matt Spencer, USPOULTRY's vice president of HR & safety programs. The panelists included Karie Kuntz, occupational health nurse supervisor at Simmons Foods; Marcy Vazquez, regional nurse manager at Perdue Farms; Mike Redmond, corporate occupational health manager at Wayne-Sanderson Farms; and Jayme Storm, director of occupational health at Tyson Foods. The session explored ways to improve the cooperation between safety and operations. A four-legged stool meeting concept (encompassing operations, HR, medical and safety) was proposed as one way to improve communication. Crisis intervention and mental health were also discussed.