JBS employees faced recurring health problems due to the poor working conditions to which they were subjected, according to a study by Repórter Brasil. According to the study, based on data from the Brazilian federal government, 14% of the 1,850 employees at the company’s unit in Barretos (state of São Paulo) were permanently off work due to accidents and occupational illnesses. In the first half of 2011 alone, there were 496 requests for leave due to mental disorders and musculoskeletal problems.