Current:Home > reviewsBehind your speedy Amazon delivery are serious hazards for workers, government finds -FinTechWorld
Behind your speedy Amazon delivery are serious hazards for workers, government finds
View
Date:2025-04-14 07:56:06
Federal safety inspectors have concluded that the twisting, bending and long reaches that Amazon warehouse workers perform as much as nine times per minute put them at high risk for lower back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders and constitute an unacceptable hazard.
As part of a larger investigation into hazardous working conditions, the Occupational Safety and and Health Administration announced on Wednesday it has cited Amazon for failing to keep workers safe at warehouses in Deltona, Florida; Waukegan, Illinois; and New Windsor, New York.
"While Amazon has developed impressive systems to make sure its customers' orders are shipped efficiently and quickly, the company has failed to show the same level of commitment to protecting the safety and wellbeing of its workers," said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker.
The e-commerce giant faces a total of $60,269 in proposed penalties, the maximum allowable for a violation of the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards.
Amazon has 15 days to contest OSHA's findings.
"We take the safety and health of our employees very seriously, and we strongly disagree with these allegations and intend to appeal," said Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel in a statement.
"Our publicly available data show we've reduced injury rates nearly 15% between 2019 and 2021," Nantel added. "What's more, the vast majority of our employees tell us they feel our workplace is safe."
Parker noted that willful or repeated violations by an employer can lead to higher penalties. He said that there are no ergonomic-related violations in Amazon's history that put the company on track for the "severe violator program," but with further inspections, that could change.
In December, OSHA cited Amazon for more than a dozen recordkeeping violations, including failing to report injuries, as part of the same investigation.
Inspectors compared DART rates — days away from work, job restrictions or transfers — across the warehouse industry and at Amazon facilities, and found the rates were unusually high at the three Amazon warehouses.
At the Amazon fulfillment center in Waukegan, Illinois, where workers handle packages in excess of 50 pounds, the DART rate was nearly double the DART rate for the industry in general, and at the Amazon facilities in New York and Florida, it was triple.
The DART rate for the industry in general was 4.7 injuries per 100 workers per year in 2021, Parker said.
Inspectors also found that workers are at risk of being struck by falling materials unsafely stored at heights of 30 feet or higher at the Florida facility.
Should the government prevail, Amazon would be required not only to pay the fines but also to correct the violations, which Parker noted, could result in significant investments in re-engineering their processes to provide workers with a safer working environment.
Editor's note: Amazon is among NPR's recent financial supporters.
veryGood! (365)
Related
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- Secret Service, Justice Dept locate person of interest in swatting attacks on DHS Secretary Mayorkas and other officials
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Bring the Heat
- Purdue knows nothing is a given as No. 1 seed. Tennessee and Texas provide intriguing matchup
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- A warming island’s mice are breeding out of control and eating seabirds. An extermination is planned
- NC State completes miracle run, punches March Madness ticket with first ACC title since 1987
- Walmart store closures: Three more reportedly added to list of shuttered stores in 2024
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- Netanyahu snaps back against growing US criticism after being accused of losing his way on Gaza
Ranking
- The FTC says 'gamified' online job scams by WhatsApp and text on the rise. What to know.
- United Airlines CEO tries to reassure customers that the airline is safe despite recent incidents
- When is the 2024 NIT? How to watch secondary men's college basketball tournament
- How Texas’ plans to arrest migrants for illegal entry would work if allowed to take effect
- What were Tom Selleck's juicy final 'Blue Bloods' words in Reagan family
- 3 people killed, infant in critical condition after SUV slams into bus shelter in San Francisco
- Reddit stock is about to go hit the market, the platform's users are not thrilled
- 'Yeah, I'm here': Katy O'Brian muscles her way into Hollywood with 'Love Lies Bleeding'
Recommendation
Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
Telehealth websites promise cure for male menopause despite FDA ban on off-label ads
Winners and losers from NCAA men's tournament bracket include North Carolina, Illinois
Reba McEntire Denies Calling Taylor Swift an Entitled Little Brat
Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
Princess Diana's Brother Worries About Truth Amid Kate Middleton Conspiracy Theories
AP PHOTOS: Boston celebrates St. Patrick’s Day; Biden holds White House brunch with Irish leader
Bodies of 2 men recovered from river in Washington state