2026 National Safety Conference for the poultry industry emphasizes proactive approach to workplace safety

Poultry industry safety professionals gathered at the 2026 National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry to explore strategies for to continue to promote safe workplaces through prevention, early intervention and greater employee engagement. Across the various discussions, one message remained consistent: effective safety programs depend on recognizing potential risks early and turning that information into meaningful action. The conference also celebrated industry achievements in workplace safety, recognizing a record 272 poultry facilities for outstanding safety performance.

Michele Garner-Janna, CSP, CPE, chief experience officer and co-founder at What Works Institute, examined the importance of shifting from lagging to leading safety indicators to better identify and address risks before incidents occur. Attendees were encouraged to develop metrics tailored to their organization’s specific risks and focus on three key shifts: measuring activity effectiveness, identifying risks before harm occurs, and increasing the speed at which organizations learn and respond. Garner-Janna emphasized that meaningful safety metrics should drive conversations, decisions and actions, allowing organizations to focus on behaviors that prevent harm rather than simply tracking outcomes after the fact.

A panel discussion featuring Rick Hellinga, senior director of safety, health and loss prevention at Simmons Foods; John Horne, vice president of safety and health at Wayne-Sanderson Farms; Pam Satchel, senior area safety manager at Tyson Foods; and moderated by James Ferrell, senior director of safety and security at Perdue Farms, focused on serious injury and fatality prevention and explored how companies can turn high-level safety strategies into consistent action at the plant, line and team member levels. Panelists discussed identifying significant risk categories, establishing clear standards, and using routine assessments and leading indicators to identify potential exposures before incidents occur, stressing that effective SIFP requires engaging team members, operations and maintenance personnel while embedding risk awareness, accountability and prevention into daily conversations and activities.

Halie Silva, BSN, RN, COHN-S, complex nurse manager at Simmons Foods, discussed standardizing ergonomic intake to support early intervention and reduce the progression of musculoskeletal disorders that may account for a portion of injuries in poultry processing. She also emphasized creating a workplace culture where employees feel comfortable reporting discomfort early, allowing organizations to intervene before symptoms develop into more serious injuries.

Source: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association press release