A farmworkers’ rights group is calling on federal safety inspectors not to delay a program of surprise inspections of New York dairy farms.
Rebecca Fuentes of the Workers Center of Central New York tells The Post-Standard of Syracuse that the inspections are necessary because dairy workers are often reluctant to report unsafe conditions for fear of losing their jobs.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is scheduled to begin random inspections of New York dairy farms in July.
Seven members of Congress from upstate New York have asked OSHA to delay the inspections. They say the inspections could result in hefty fines that small dairies could not afford.
But Fuentes and other advocates say farmers should have plenty of time to correct safety violations by July.
Source: Associated Press
