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Topics: News
Emma Guinness
Topics: News
It's no secret that slaughterhouse butchers have a brutal job, but the processing of animals for food can also be dangerous too.
This was recently brought home after a pig struck back at a butcher, causing him to sustain fatal injuries.
The unnamed butcher, 61, had been working at the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse in Hong Kong when the pig he was about to slaughter knocked him to the ground.
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This saw him injured by the 15-inch meat cleaver he was about to use to end the pig's life, having already stunned the animal with an electric stun gun.
The butcher was then found unconscious by a coworker with a wound in his left foot and the cleaver still in his hand.
He was subsequently rushed to a hospital, but he later died from his injuries.
His exact cause of death has yet to be publicly announced.
An investigation into how the slaughter went so wrong is now being conducted by the Labour Department.
They released the following statement about the incident: "The Labour Department is saddened by the death of the person and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family.
"We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures.
"We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in Hong Kong is said to be 'very concerned about the work accident.'
The department, which manages the operation of the slaughterhouse, said: "The department expressed its deepest condolences to the deceased’s family and has requested the contractor to provide all necessary assistance to his family."
However, they made a point of stressing to people in the area that their meat will otherwise be available as normal.
"The slaughtering service remains normal and the supply of fresh meat is not affected."
It is not known whether or not the pig involved in the incident was ultimately slaughtered or not.
A case study into the aggressiveness of domestic pigs found that they are typically docile animals, however, they can attack if threatened.
Acts of aggression recorded from the farm animals include trampling, kicking and biting.
The report then cited the example of a 49-year-old man who was killed by pigs, with numerous blunt force injuries being recorded on his body.