Local Mayors Work To Assure Safety At Meat Plant

Ashley Carter was in Guntersville taking safety and social distancing concerns from several chicken processing plants to mayors and local businesses.

Marshall county being a coronavirus hotspot in north alabama, doctors are examining just how much "processing plants" are to blame.

Since the virus hit, we've received dozens of emails about safety concerns and a lack of social distancing at several chicken plants in marshall county.

Waay 31's ashley carter is live in guntersville after taking those concerns to businesses and mayors.

Pilgrim's pride meat plant won't confirm if there are any coronavirus cases connected to this plant... but does admit cases at facilities it won't name.

Employees here complain they're forced to work side by side and not enough's being done to keep them safe.

Guntersville mayor leigh dollar told me the plants assure her they're doing everything possible to keep workers safe.

Mayor leigh dollar, guntersville mayor: "based on my conversations with them they are doing as much as they can because employee safety is of upmost importance" city of guntersville mayor leigh dollar told me she spoke with the managers at processing plants in guntersville.

She said both told her they stepped up cleaning and social distancing procedures mayor leigh dollar, guntersville mayor: "there's all kinds of sanitizing and cleaning going on all parts of the day."

But dollar admits when it comes to overseeing the plants, there's not much the city of guntersville can do.

Mayor leigh dollar, guntersville mayor: "anything that is related to the city health order we don't have a local ordinance governing that, it would fall to that the state health order."

Albertville mayor management teams...the united states department of agricultire and the state health department are working to make sure employees are kept safe but didnt go into details how earlier this month, wayne farms said it would slow production at its plant in albertville after 75 employees tested positive for coronavirus.

One of them died.

Tyson also won't confirm cases at any specific plant.

But it's reported more than 200 workers got sick in iowa.

We've heard of one possible case here.

A spokeswoman for tyson would only tell me its plants are promoting social distancing by allowing more time in between shifts to reduce worker's interaction...and placing these tents outside to serve as outdoor break rooms i also spoke with the marshall county sheriff's office and the city of albertville police chief.

They told me since these plants are privately owned there isn't much they could do either to oversee that these plants are following the guidelines.

Live in guntersville