State leaders demand transparency in Tyson Foods explosion investigation
Jan 16, 2025
Georgia leaders sent a letter to OSHA urging regular updates on the Tyson Foods explosion investigation. The December blast killed one worker and injured several others. The union and Tyson Foods are working together to ensure safety and support workers.BROADCAST SCRIPTA deadly explosion at Tyson Foods in December has sparked urgent calls for accountability and transparency. One person was killed, and several others were injured in the incident, which is raising significant safety concerns.Now, Senators Raphael Warnock, Jon Ossoff, and Congressman Sanford Bishop are demanding transparency from OSHA as the investigation continues. On Thursday, they sent a letter calling for regular updates and a full report once the investigation is complete.The letter reads in part:"This transparency will be essential to providing affected families and the broader community with greater insight."The Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU) is representing Tyson workers. Chelsea Conner, the union's national communications director, says they have been working closely with the company to support the investigation.All workers except the two who are severely injured are back to work, and all workers receive full back pay, so nobodys at any financial burden at this time, Conner said.All that remains now is waiting for OSHA to finalize and release its findings from the investigation. What is known so far is that a boiler exploded, but the investigations findings will determine the causewhether it was a malfunction, manufacturing issue, or user error.As for an update from OSHA or a response to the letter, multiple requests to the agency have been sent but we have yet to receive a response.