Tyson cited after fatal explosion at Georgia poultry plant

The U.S. Department of Labor has issued a citation against Tyson Foods’ Keystone Foods subsidiary following a fatal boiler explosion and fire at its poultry processing plant in Camilla, Georgia, in December 2024. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Keystone Foods for a serious violation and proposed a penalty of $16,550.

According to the OSHA investigation, two workers at the facility were seriously burned when a hose filled with oil ruptured during maintenance, igniting an oil mist and causing a fire and explosion in the plant’s boiler room. Inspectors concluded the company failed to ensure that employees followed internal safety procedures and the manufacturer’s maintenance guidelines for the boiler pump.

The incident occurred on December 26, 2024, and also resulted in the death of a woman who was not employed at the plant. Early reports indicated the explosion caused part of a wall to collapse on an adjoining building. The deceased was identified as the wife of a truck driver who hauled freight to and from the facility.

Keystone Foods now has 15 business days from receipt of the citation to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

The explosion prompted criticism from the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which represents workers at the Camilla facility. In a joint statement, RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum and Southeast Council President Edgar Fields expressed strong disapproval of OSHA’s response.

“While a worker’s life can never be monetarily valued, it certainly cannot be valued at a few thousand dollars,” Appelbaum stated. “OSHA’s decision to issue only modest fines in the wake of the devastating boiler explosion at Tyson’s Camilla, Georgia, poultry plant is the true embodiment of a broken system that lacks the teeth and incentives to protect workers.”

They continued, “This fine is barely a drop in the bucket, despite the gravity of the explosion and the clear danger to workers. This meager penalty sends a dangerous message: that even catastrophic failures in worker safety can be brushed aside without meaningful consequence. The only thing made clear today is that OSHA lacks the power, urgency, and resources needed to truly hold large corporations accountable. It took over six months for this decision to be issued, leaving our members, their families, and the Camilla community waiting far too long for answers and accountability. And even now, they are left with neither.”

The fatality of the woman not employed by the plant was not addressed in OSHA’s citation or by the RWDSU statement.

Keystone Foods has operated as part of Tyson Foods since 2018, when Tyson acquired the company from Marfrig Global Foods. The Camilla plant employs approximately 1,600 unionized workers.