Poultry Processing Industry eTool
Cutting & Deboning » Deboning
All parts of the chicken that have sufficient meat are candidates for a bone-out product. The deboning process generally follows the cutting operation when deboning legs and thighs. The breast meat, however, may be removed while the carcass is still on the cone at the end of the cutting process. In some facilities, the birds are aged in a cooler before the meat is separated from the bone. While most deboning cuts are performed with a knife, some of the processes, such as removal of the meat from the bone of the leg, can be more easily and safely accomplished by using other cutting tools such as a Whizzard knife. Trimming tasks in this process are generally performed with scissors. After the meat has been removed from the bone it may be quick frozen and bagged with little additional trimming or processing, or it may be moved to a separate specialty trim line where it is trimmed and cut according to customer requirements.
This operation includes the following tasks:
- Task 1: Skin Puller: Pulls skin from thighs and breasts.
- Task 2: Line Loader: Places parts on conveyor for deboning.
- Task 3: Deboner: Uses knife to remove bone from various sections of poultry leaving a "meat only" product.
- Task 4: Tender Puller: Pulls tenders from both sides of the deboned breast.
- Task 5: Trimmer: Removes unwanted parts with scissors or knife.
- Task 6: Quality Control Inspector: Inspects product.
- Support Tasks:
- Knife Person: Collects, sharpens, and replaces knives.
Task 1: Skin Puller
Employee uses pliers or similar tool to pull skin from breasts, thighs and legs.
Hazards of this task may include:
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.
Hazardous Situation
Employees exert high finger force with both hands to open and close the tool and to hold the product while the skin is being pulled. Using gloves and handling cold product increases the amount of finger force that must be exerted. Repeatedly exerting high finger force can stretch and fray the tendon if there are not sufficient periods of rest. Repeatedly stretching the tendon can lead to tendinitis or tenosynovitis. Using standard in-line tools can cause employees to bend the wrist, which, in combination with high finger force, can cause contact trauma between the tendon and the bones and ligaments of the wrist. Contact between these entities can cause irritation and inflammation, leading potentially to tendinitis, tenosynovitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Possible Solutions
- Provide appropriate hand tools.
- Use a clamp or jig to hold chicken parts while pulling skin.
- Use gloves with rough surfaces to hold chicken parts.
- Rotate to non-hand intensive tasks.
Task 2: Line Loader
Parts are transported from the cutting stations to the deboning stations in hand-carried tubs. Tubs may be lifted from cart shelves or lifted from the floor and carried to deboning stations. Tubs are emptied onto a conveyor or staging shelf which is generally at waist- to shoulder-height. This task may also be repeated at the trimming lines where product that has been de-boned may again be placed in a tub and transported to the trimmers.
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 a little weight 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. Bending and lifting heavy loads such as those encountered at these stations greatly increases the risk of injury to the low back.
Possible Solutions
- Place tubs on shelves that are waist high so employees do not need to bend when lifting.
- Place product in larger transport tubs, then 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.
- Place product in larger transport tubs, then use a tub dumper at the workstation to empty contents on the conveyor.
- Use conveyor or auger to mechanically transport product from one station to the other.
Task 3: Deboner
Employees remove bones from various poultry parts, including breasts, thighs and legs. The task may be performed with a standard knife on a flat cutting surface or a tilted cutting surface. Legs may be deboned on a specialized conveyor line using a Whizzard knife. Breast meat may be removed directly from the carcass while it is still on the cone line.
Hazards of this task may include:
Hazardous Situation
Workers use a knife to cut the meat away from the bone. Most knives have a straight, in-line design. Using this type of knife on a horizontal cutting surface forces employees to bend their wrists to perform the cut. Bending the wrist while exerting finger force is stressful to the tendons and muscles of the hand and forearm. Factors such as poorly fitting gloves, slick handles, inappropriately sized handles, frozen meat or dull knives increase the force that must be used. Minimize finger force and bending of the wrist when performing the cutting task.
Possible Solutions
- Keep knives sharp and in good condition.
- Remove damaged knives from service.
- Use knives appropriate for the task.
- Provide properly sized gloves.
- Tilt work surfaces towards employees to reduce wrist deviation.
- Divide the task into specific units and provide an appropriate cutting tool so the task can be performed with a neutral wrist and body posture.
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 a conveyor or shelf to obtain parts for deboning and reach to place finished product in tubs or receptacles. Repetitive reaching stresses the shoulder and upper back.
Possible Solutions
- Use diverter bars to push product closer to the employee.
- Reduce width of cutting surfaces so product can be 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 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: Tender Puller
Tender pullers use their fingers to pull tenders away from the breast bone after the main section of breast has been removed. This task may be performed while the carcass is on the cone line or from a cut full breast placed on a flat work surface.
Hazards of this task may include:
Hazardous Situation
Employees repeatedly reach to conveyor or shelf to obtain breasts, reach to cones to pull tenders, or reach to place finished product in tubs or receptacles. Repetitive reaching stresses the shoulder and upper back.
Possible Solutions
- Use diverter bars to push product closer to the employee.
- Reduce width of work surfaces 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 5: Trimmer
Trimming is usually the last processing step before packaging or quick freezing. Trim lines often produce specialty products according to customer specification. Trimmers remove pieces of bone, fat, tendons, gristle, or blemishes in the meat as well as perform specialty cutting to produce tenders and nuggets. Many of the items, such as bone and fat, that are easily grasped can be pulled away from the meat using only the fingers. Although a knife can be used, for the majority of these operations the tool of choice is usually scissors.
Hazards of this task may include:
Hazardous Situation
Use of traditional scissors forces the fingers to repeatedly open and close the jaws, which can stress tendons, increasing the risk of tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel. Contact trauma to the sides to fingers can damage nerves, which can cause numbness and tingling in the tips of the fingers and thumb.
- Provide pneumatic scissors; these scissors can be activated by employees with little finger force and with the wrist in a neutral posture. A cut proof glove should be used on non-cutting hand.
- Provide spring activated scissors; these scissors open automatically after each cutting motion.
- Rotate to those tasks that do not require scissor use.
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.
Hazardous Situation
Employees repeatedly reach to a conveyor or shelf to obtain parts for trimming and reach to place finished product in tubs or receptacles. Repetitive reaching stresses the shoulder and upper back.
Possible Solutions
- Use diverter bars to push the product closer to the employee.
- Reduce width of the work area 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.
Task 6: Quality Control Inspector
Employee pulls selected processed parts from conveyor line and visually inspects for compliance with quality standards.
Hazards of this task may include:
Hazardous Situation
Employees repeatedly reach to a conveyor or shelf to obtain parts for inspection. Reaches are also necessary to place inspected parts in tubs or back on the line. Repetitive reaching stresses the shoulder and upper back.
- Use diverter bars to push the product closer to the employee.
- Reduce width of conveyors so the product is presented closer to the employee.
- Position employee so all activities of the task can be performed with the elbows in close to the torso.
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.
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.
Hand Tools that Require Forceful Finger Exertion
Tools that require using repetitive forceful finger exertions can stretch the tendons and if the wrist is bent, can create contact trauma to the tendons and their sheath as they are pulled across the rigid entities of the wrist. Some tool designs to minimize the impact to the hand by:
- Bending the tool handle so the wrist can remain as straight as possible.
- Producing tool handles long enough to run the full length of the hand. This keeps the handle from pressing into the palm and allows all the fingers to provide force when closing the jaw.
- Padding the handles so therdailymail.come are not sharp edges that will press against the hand and making it out of slip-resistant material.
- Making tools sized to accommodate both large and small hands. For most people the finger and thumb should touch or slightly overlap (handle span between 2 and 3 inches).