Poultry Processing Industry eTool
Cutting & Deboning » Cutting
Removing the legs and wings from the bird is usually the beginning stage for both the packaged bone-in and bone-out product. The eviscerated birds are generally impaled on "cones" that continually pass in front of employees. Wings and the leg/thigh are cut away from the main carcass. The breast may also be cut away while on the cone. Wings and leg/thigh are sometimes removed while birds hang on a shackle conveyor similar to that used for evisceration.
This operation includes the following tasks:
- Task 1: Line Loader: Transfers birds from bins to conveyors.
- Task 2: Tail Cutter: Removes the tail from bird.
- Task 3: Saw Operator: Uses saw to cut chicken into various parts.
- Task 4: Rehang: Loads the carcasses back onto shackles.
- Task 5: Cone Line Feeder: Moves bird from bin to cone on conveyor.
- Task 6: Wing Cutter: Cuts wing from chicken.
- Task 7: Leg/Thigh Cutter: Cuts leg/thigh from carcass.
- Task 8: Back/Breast Separator: Uses saw to separate breast from back.
- Task 9: Trimmer/Cleanup: Removes fat, skin, and bone debris from product.
- Support Tasks:
- Knife Person: Collects, sharpens, and replaces knives.
Task 1: Line Loader
Birds are often transported from the evisceration line to the cone conveyor or line in a tub. Line loaders grasp 2-3 birds in each hand and lift them from the tub and place them on a conveyor or staging shelf, which is generally at waist- to shoulder-height. Other personnel usually place the birds on the cone or shackle.
Hazards of this task may include:
Hazardous Situation
Repeatedly bending forward and reaching out away from the body stresses the back even if there is little being lifted because the upper body must be supported. When loads are being lifted, bending over at the waist increases the distance the load is held away from the body and increases the stress placed on the back.
Possible Solutions
- Automate the movement from the evisceration line to the cone line using conveyors or augers.
- Use a tilter dumper to elevate and tilt so the contents are continually moved forward toward the employee and are maintained at about waist height at all times.
- Use a tub dumper at the workstation to empty contents on the conveyor.
Hazardous Situation
Employees lift multiple birds at one time, usually by the legs. Lifting 2-3 birds in each hand is not uncommon. Birds are cold and slick, and employees usually wear rubber gloves that are also slick and may not fit well. All these factors increase the finger force that must be exerted. Exerting significant finger force can stretch and fray the tendons of the hand and can create a contact trauma to the tendon and sheath where they come in contact with bone or tendon. These types of actions increase the risk of tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Possible Solutions
- Automate the movement from the evisceration line to the cone line using conveyors or augers.
- Use a tilter dumper to elevate and tilt so the contents are continually moved forward toward the employee and are maintained at about waist height at all times.
- Use a tub dumper at the workstation to empty contents on the conveyor.
Task 2: Tail Cutter
The tail is cut from the bird before the bird is placed on the cone. A standard scissors is generally used to perform the operation.
Hazards of this task may include:
Hazardous Situation
Using traditional scissors forces the fingers to repeatedly open and close the blade, which can stress tendons, increasing the risk of tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel. Contact trauma to sides of fingers can damage nerves, which can cause numbness and tingling in the tips of the fingers and thumb.
Possible Solutions
- Provide pneumatic scissors for cutting off tail; these scissors can be activated by employees with little finger force and with the wrist in a neutral posture.
- Provide spring activated scissors for cutting off tail; these scissors open automatically after each cutting motion.
- Rotate to tasks that do not require using scissors.
Hazardous Situation
Standing for a long time reduces blood flow to the legs, forces isolated muscles to work for an extended time, and increases risk of fatigue and varicose veins.
Possible Solutions
- Install sit/stand stools, which allow employees to lean and have their weight supported while still remaining in an upright posture.
- Rotate employees to tasks that do not require prolonged standing.
- Provide shoe insoles that cushion the feet and spread foot pressure over a larger surface.
- Provide a foot rest in front of employees so they can lift one foot, allowing them to continually shift their posture.
Task 3: Saw Operator
Employees may use a saw with a manual feed to cut leg/thigh or wings away from the main carcass, or may load a machine that automatically performs cuts. Manual feed saws can be used to remove legs from the back, divide the legs, cut wings away from the breast, and to split the breast in two. After being loaded, automated machines perform the same cuts as described above.
Hazards of this task may include:
Hazardous Situation
Employee reaches repeatedly to conveyor or shelf to obtain birds for processing. Reaches are also necessary to place birds into the automatic saw feed mechanism and perform manual cuts. Repetitive reaching stresses the shoulder and upper back.
Possible Solutions
- If the feed conveyor is between the saw and the employee, reduce the width of feed conveyors to reduce reaching to the machine.
- Use diverter bars to push the product closer to the employee.
- Reduce width of supply conveyor so the product is presented closer to the employee.
- Position saws and other work fixtures so all activities of the task can be performed with the elbows in close to the torso.
Hazardous Situation
The nature of this task involves employees working with unguarded saws. Cuts, lacerations, and amputations are possible.
Possible Solutions
- Wear cut-proof mesh gloves on both hands.
- Keep hands to the side of the blade during feeding of the product.
- Guard all portions of the blade except for an opening large enough to feed the product.
Hazardous Situation
Standing for a long time reduces blood flow to the legs and forces isolated muscles to work for extended periods of time. This increases the risk of fatigue and varicose veins.
Possible Solutions
- Install sit/stand stools, which allow employees to lean and have their weight supported while still remaining in an upright posture.
- Rotate employees to tasks that do not require prolonged standing.
- Provide shoe insoles that cushion the feet and spread foot pressure over a larger surface.
- Provide a foot rest in front of employees so they can shift their posture.
Task 4: Rehang
Rehang is generally not necessary since most cutting is performed on a cone line. If the cutting is to be performed from a shackle conveyor, the bird must be rehung. Some automated cutters, such as a "Multi-cut" machine, must be loaded, and thus is technically a rehang type of activity.
The bird must be lifted from the table or conveyor and the legs placed into a shackle or other device moving in front of the employee. This is a highly repetitive reaching task.
Hazards of this task may include:
Hazardous Situation
Employees may bend to lift chickens from the supply conveyor and then reach out and away, sometimes above shoulder height, to place them on multi-cut machines or shackle conveyors. Injuries to the shoulder, back, and neck are common due to awkward postures and high repetition. Employees at the beginning of the line often work faster than those near the end of the line because there is always a full supply of birds and all positions are open.
Possible Solutions
- Minimize forward reaches by moving the shackle conveyor towards employee.
- Minimize vertical distance between the shackles and the belt conveyor to minimize bending and elevated reaches.
- Rotate employees up and down hanging line.
- Install height-adjustable stands so employees can properly position themselves.
Hazardous Situation
Standing for a long time reduces blood flow to the legs, forces isolated muscles to work for an extended time, and increases risk of fatigue and varicose veins.
Possible Solutions
- Install sit/stand stools, which allow employees to lean and have their weight supported while still remaining in an upright posture.
- Rotate employees to tasks that do not require prolonged standing.
- Provide shoe insoles that cushion the feet and spread foot pressure over a larger surface.
- Provide a foot rest in front of employees so they can shift their posture.
Task 5: Cone Line Feeder
Most plants use a cone line as the main staging area for removing appendages and meat from the body of the bird. The feeder places the eviscerated carcass onto the cone, which is integrated into a conveyor line. This line moves the bird past employees who remove parts from the carcass.
In some plants parts are removed from birds hanging from a shackle conveyor or the process may be automated using multi-cut machinery. In these cases the cone line feeder is replaced by a rehang worker.
Hazardous Situation
Employees repeatedly reach to a conveyor or shelf to obtain birds for processing and reach to place birds on the cone. Repetitive reaching stresses the shoulder and upper back.
Possible Solutions
- Use diverter bars to push the product closer to the employee.
- Reduce width of supply conveyor so the product is presented closer to the employee.
- Position cones and other work fixtures so all activities of the task can be performed with the elbows in close to the torso.
- Provide height-adjustable stands, where appropriate, to place employee in proper orientation to the work surface.
Hazardous Situation
Standing for a long time reduces blood flow to the legs, forces isolated muscles to work for an extended time, and increases risk of fatigue and varicose veins.
Possible Solutions
- Install sit/stand stools, which allow employees to lean and have their weight supported while still remaining in an upright posture.
- Rotate employees to tasks that do not require prolonged standing.
- Provide shoe insoles that cushion the feet and spread foot pressure over a larger surface.
- Provide a foot rest in front of employees so they can shift their posture.
Task 6: Wing Cutter
Wing cutters use knives to cut the wings from the bird. This may be a multi-step process where several workers along the line each perform one of the necessary cuts, or all cuts can be done by a single operator.
Hazards of this task may include:
Hazardous Situation
Workers use a knife to cut the wings away from the rest of the carcass. The cutting motion may entail some bending of the wrist. Factors such as poorly fitting gloves, slick handles, inappropriately sized handles, or dull knives increase the force that must be used. Finger force and bending of the wrist are recognized risk factors for the development of many hand injuries. Minimize these factors when performing cutting tasks.
Possible Solutions
- Keep knives sharp and in good condition.
- Remove damaged knives from service.
- Use knives appropriate for the task.
- Keep the wrist as straight as possible during the cutting task.
- Provide properly sized gloves.
Hazardous Situation
Employees are performing highly repetitive tasks using knives close to other employees. Cuts and lacerations are possible to the employee and those standing nearby because employees are exposed to sharp knife blades. Any cut not treated at once will normally become infected as a result of working with poultry.
Possible Solutions
- Allow sufficient room for each employee on the line.
- Use mesh glove on non-cutting hand.
- Maintain sharp blades.
Hazardous Situation
Employees repeatedly reach to the bird on the cone to perform cutting tasks and may need to reach to a bin or a tub to deposit removed item. Repetitive reaching stresses the shoulder and upper back.
Possible Solutions
- Position cones and other work fixtures so all activities of the task can be performed in front of the employee with the elbows in close to the torso.
- Provide height-adjustable stands so employees are in proper orientation to their work area.
Hazardous Situation
Standing for a long time reduces blood flow to the legs, forces isolated muscles to work for an extended time, and increases risk of fatigue and varicose veins.
Possible Solutions
- Install sit/stand stools, which allow employees to lean and have their weight supported while still remaining in an upright posture.
- Rotate to tasks that do not require prolonged standing.
- Provide shoe insoles that cushion the feet and spread foot pressure over a larger surface.
- Provide a foot rest in front of employees so they can shift their posture.
Task 7: Leg/Thigh Cutter
Cutters use knives to cut the legs/thigh unit from the bird. This may be a multi-step process where several workers along the line each perform one of the necessary cuts, or all cuts can be done by a single operator.
Hazards of this task may include:
Hazardous Situation
Workers use a knife to cut the wings away from the rest of the carcass. The cutting motion may entail some bending of the wrist. Factors such as poorly fitting gloves, slick handles, inappropriately sized handles, or dull knives increase the force that must be used. Finger force and bending of the wrist are recognized risk factors for the development of many hand injuries. Minimize these factors when performing cutting tasks.
Possible Solutions
Hazardous Situation
Employees are performing highly repetitive tasks using knives close to other employees. Cuts and lacerations are possible to the employee and those standing nearby because employees are exposed to sharp knife blades. Any cut not treated at once will normally become infected as a result of working with poultry.
Possible Solutions
- Allow sufficient room for each employee on the line.
- Use mesh glove on non-cutting hand.
- Maintain sharp blades.
Hazardous Situation
Employees repeatedly reach to the bird on the cone to perform cutting tasks and may need to reach to a bin or a tub to deposit removed item. Repetitive reaching stresses the shoulder and upper back.
Possible Solutions
- Position cones and other work fixtures so all activities of the task can be performed in front of the employee with the elbows in close to the torso.
- Provide height-adjustable stands so employees are in proper orientation to their work area.
Task 8: Back/Breast Separator
Employees may use a saw with a manual feed to separate the breast section from the back. This manual feed technique can be used to remove legs from the back, divide the legs, cut wings away from the breast, and to split the breast in two. After being loaded, automated multi-cut machines perform the same cuts as described above.
Hazards of this task may include:
Hazardous Situation
Employee repeatedly reaches to conveyor or shelf to obtain birds for processing. Repetitive reaching stresses the shoulder and upper back.
Possible Solutions
- If the feed conveyor is between the saw and the employee, reduce the width of feed conveyors to reduce reaching to machine.
- Use diverter bars to push the product closer to the employee.
- Reduce width of the supply conveyor so the product is presented closer to the employee.
- Position saws and other work fixtures so all activities of the task can be performed with the elbows in close to the torso.
Hazardous Situation
The nature of this task involves employee working with an unguarded saw. Cuts, lacerations, and amputations are possible.
Possible Solutions
- Wear cut-proof mesh gloves on both hands.
- Keep hands to the side of the blade during feeding of product.
- Guard all portions of the blade except for an opening large enough to feed product.
Hazardous Situation
Standing for a long time reduces blood flow to the legs, forces isolated muscles to work for an extended time, and increases risk of fatigue and varicose veins.
Possible Solutions
- Install sit/stand stools, which allow employees to lean and have their weight supported while still remaining in an upright posture.
- Rotate employees to tasks that do not require prolonged standing.
- Provide shoe insoles that cushion the feet and spread foot pressure over a larger surface.
- Provide a foot rest in front of employees so they can shift their posture.
Task 9: Trimmer/Clean-up
Employee obtains separated pieces of poultry from conveyor and uses scissors to trim excess skin, fat, and pieces of bone.
Hazards of this task may include:
Hazardous Situation
Use of traditional scissors forces the fingers to repeatedly open and close the blade, which can stress tendons, increasing the risk of tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel. Contact trauma to sides of fingers can damage nerves, which can cause numbness and tingling in the tips of the fingers and thumb.
Possible Solutions
- Provide pneumatic scissors; these scissors can be activated by employees with little finger force and with the wrist in a neutral posture.
- Provide spring activated scissors; these scissors open automatically after each cutting motion.
- Rotate workers to those tasks that do not require scissor use.
Hazardous Situation
Standing for a long time reduces blood flow to the legs and forces isolated muscles to work for extended periods of time increases risk of fatigue and varicose veins.
Possible Solutions
- Install sit/stand stools, which allow employees to lean and have their weight supported while still remaining in an upright posture.
- Rotate employees to tasks that do not require prolonged standing.
- Provide shoe insoles that cushion the feet and spread foot pressure over a larger surface.
- Provide a foot rest in front of employees so they can shift their posture.
Hazardous Situation
Employees repeatedly reach to conveyor or shelf to obtain parts to be trimmed and reach to place finished parts in tubs or baskets. Repetitive reaching stresses the shoulder and upper back.
Possible Solutions
- Use diverter bars to push the product closer to the employee.
- Reduce width of supply conveyor so the product is presented closer to the employee.
- Position product and work fixtures so all activities of the task can be performed with the elbows in close to the torso.
- Tilt work surface so product slides to the employee.
Support Task: Knife Person
A knife person collects dull knives from employees along the processing lines and replaces them with sharp ones. This employee may also sharpen knives that have been collected.
Hazards of this task may include:
Hazardous Situation
Workers walk all over the facility on wet floors that may have bird skin, bird parts, and ice on them, creating a slipping hazard. Metal drain covers on the floor are also very slippery and pose a hazard. A falling worker may contact dangerous equipment, or cut him/herself on a knife blade.
Possible Solutions
- Cover drains with non-slip grating.
- Provide workers with non-slip footwear and require its use.
- Paint floors with slip-resistant paint or install non-slip floor tile.
- Provide guardrails at workstations adjacent to dangerous equipment to prevent injury.
- Carry knives in sheaths or closed containers.
Hazardous Situation
Employees may suffer cuts, lacerations, skin abrasion, contusions, or eye damage during use of grinders to sharpen knives. Grinding wheels may break up or explode. Bits and pieces of knife blades may be thrown off during sharpening.
Possible Solutions
- Use safety goggles or other protective eyewear.
- Use only grinding wheels with rpm rating matching the spindle speed of the grinder.
- Use ring test procedure to check for non-visible damage to the grinding wheel.
- Follow manufacturer's recommendations for guarding and use of the grinding wheel.
Height-Adjustable Stands
Work stations should generally be designed for the tallest employees who are likely to use them, to reduce the need for these employees to bend at the waist while performing their task. Using height adjustable stands allows employees of shorter body sizes to work at the same workstation without using awkward postures such as reaching above shoulder height. Stands should be easily adjustable at the beginning of shift without special tools or training.
Knives
Working on a flat work surface with a straight handled knife can force employees to bend (deviate) the wrist. A hazardous situation can develop when this posture is combined with repeated or prolonged exertion of finger force. Employees often use a significant amount of finger force to control the knife during the cutting process, especially if:
- They wear gloves.
- Their hands are cold and they can not feel the knife in their hands.
- The knife has a slick handle.
- The knife is not sharp.
- Meat is frozen.
The ideal posture when performing hand intensive tasks is to keep the wrist in a straight (neutral) position. Using bent handled knives allows the wrist to remain neutral during the cutting task. Providing knives with different sized handles can also reduce the amount of finger force that is used because a handle that is too big or too small for the employee's hand requires more finger force.
If it is not practical to bend the knife handle, tilting the work surface towards the employee will reduce the bend in the wrist. Glove and knife handle materials that are rough or slightly sticky will improve the grip an employee can place on a knife and reduce the amount of force the fingers must exert.
A loop type handle can sometimes be used which allows the employee to release the handle periodically so the fingers can rest. Because the hand is placed inside the loop of the knife it stays in place without constant exertion or finger force. Encourage employees to put the knife down periodically and stretch, shake, and flex the fingers. Knife sharpening programs are important so that knives are always as sharp as possible. A sharp knife requires less finger force to perform a given task.
Sit/Stand Stools
Sit/Stand stools are often an appropriate rest option for tasks that are best performed in a standing position. They allow employees to lean and rest but still keep them in a position to perform the task without the workstation modifications that would be necessary to convert to a seated workstation.
Scissors (Pneumatic)
A variety of pneumatic scissors are available that greatly reduce the muscle force that must be exerted to close the scissor blades, eliminate the need to open the blades after completing a cutting motion, and that completely eliminate the contact trauma to the sides of the finger.
Scissors (Spring Activated)
Spring activated, straight handled, hand scissors reduce the hazard to the employee's hand by eliminating the need to repeatedly open the blades, and by elongating the handle. By eliminating the finger and thumb loop, all the fingers can participate in closing the blades. Finger force is reduced and the contact to the insides of the fingers is greatly reduced.
Bent Wrist
When this posture is used in conjunction with repeated finger activation, the tendons are repeatedly pulled across the bones and ligaments in the wrist. This action is similar to pulling a rope over a ledge or a pulley. The tendon and sheath can become inflamed and frayed and swelling may occur. Swelling may compress the median nerve as it passes through the wrist, causing pain and numbness in the hand and fingers.
Diverter Bars
Diverter bars push materials on a conveyor belt closer to an employee. This reduces the amount of reaching and reduces stress to the shoulder, upper back, and neck.
Tilter Dumper
Using a tilter dumper raises the load so that employees do not need to bend to access product and allows the load to slide forward so that reaching motions can be minimized.
Tub Dumper
Tub dumpers eliminate most bending and reaching by mechanically emptying the contents of tubs or barrels.
Position
- Employees may have to reach behind their bodies or to distant locations to access product for placement into machines or to cut using manual saws.
- Employees may need to reach a significant distance in front of their bodies to place chicken sections onto machinery that will process the parts.
- Employees may need to work with their arms in elevated postures because the saw is placed too high in relation to the employee.
Repeatedly reaching can increase the risk of chronic injuries such as tendinitis and bursitis as the tendons are repeatedly pulled across the bony entities in the shoulder.
Lifting a load in the hand or holding the arms in an elevated posture for a prolonged period of time can fatigue the muscles of the shoulder and upper back, increasing the risk of developing acute injuries such as strains, sprains, and tears.
Highly repetitive reaches or supporting loads in the hand should be done with the elbows in close to the body. Occasional reaches or supporting light loads for a very short period may be done at full arm extension.
Finger Contact
Using conventional scissors can create a contact trauma to the sides of the fingers. This can damage nerves and lead to tingling in the finger tips and thumb.
Narrow Conveyor
Conveyors should only be as wide as is necessary to accommodate the product. Using overly wide conveyors forces employees to reach out and away from their bodies, which stresses the shoulder, upper back, and neck.