WASHINGTON, IND. — Around 2:40 p.m. on Aug. 25, employees of Perdue Farms’ Washington, Ind., facility evacuated the building after an accidental chemical spill. 

According to the company, when a pallet being transported on a forklift tipped over, chemicals spilled outside the facility. Around 350 workers cleared out of the area, while Perdue’s onsite safety and environmental teams responded to the incident.

“The safety of our people is our top priority,” Perdue said.

Perdue reported seven employees to have experienced headaches and shortness of breath. The company wellness team treated them immediately. One person received further treatment at a nearby healthcare facility and has since then been released.

“There is currently no environmental impact,” the company said. “The local fire department also responded to the scene, and production resumed within an hour.”

Recently, the Washington plant was awarded a GreenCircle Zero Waste to Landfill certification for its waste reduction efforts.