Federal regulators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found that three Amazon warehousing facilities had violated legislation designed to require employers to provide safe work environments. Research found that Amazon workers are at high risk for back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), especially in warehouse environments that prioritize speed over safety.
“While Amazon has built impressive systems to make sure its customers’ orders ship efficiently and quickly, the company hasn’t shown the same level of commitment to protecting the safety and well-being of its workers.” saying Doug Parker, OSHA assistant secretary.
Amazon must pay a $60,269 fine for the violations at warehouses in Deltona, Florida, Waukegan, Illinois, and New Windsor, New York. As part of the same investigation, OSHA found in December that six Amazon warehouses had failed to record and report worker injuries and illnesses. There are three similar investigations underway at Amazon facilities in Colorado, Idaho and New York.
OSHA’s findings show a continuing pattern of employee injuries, including entrapment injuries while handling objects over 50 pounds. An example report July says, “crush/crush; face; furniture (61 pounds).” Another says, “strain/sprain; lower leg; gymnastics team (148 lbs.)”. The Florida warehouse was also cited for being too hot, which can cause heat-related illness.
Amazon has on-site clinics called Amcare for employees who may be injured on the job, but OSHA says these facilities can be prohibitively expensive for workers to receive proper medical care. Amazon employees told investigators that the Amcare clinic in Deltona, Florida, required injured workers to wait three weeks after an injury before they could be referred to a doctor. OSHA also found that if an employee suffered a head injury and dizziness, he was not immediately referred to a doctor.
An Amazon spokesperson told TechCrunch that the company denies OSHA’s claims.
“We take the safety and health of our employees very seriously, and we strongly disagree with these allegations and intend to appeal,” Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokeswoman, said in a statement. “We have fully cooperated and the government’s allegations do not reflect the reality of security at our sites. Over the past few months, we have shown how far we work every day to mitigate risk and protect our people, and our publicly available data shows that we have reduced injury rates by nearly 15% between 2019 and 2021.”
Amazon said the federal government doesn’t offer specific ergonomic guidance to employers, so the company has invested in engineering innovations that can reduce the need for workers to bend, twist and reach for ways that can cause injury. Warehouse workers also participate in stretching groups called “huddles.”
“The vast majority of our employees tell us they feel our workplace is safe,” Nantel said. “We look forward to sharing more during our appeal about the many safety innovations, process improvements, and investments we are making to further reduce injuries. We know there will always be ways to get even better, and we will never stop working to be safer for our employees.”
Federal regulators have found problems at Amazon warehouses for years, where workers typically work physically demanding 10-hour shifts with minimal breaks. According to data According to the Washington State Department of Labor, the rate of strains and sprains per 10,000 employees is four times higher at Amazon than at other warehouses. And in 2019, OSHA found the same problem with Amcare facilities now reporting: Amcare staff are treating employees on-site, rather than referring them to other physicians when necessary.
