Amazon, the nation’s largest online retailer, is also one of its largest employers—and a new Senate committee investigation has revealed extreme risk of injury in Amazon warehouses.
The report, released by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee, showed that Amazon warehouse workers were nearly twice as likely to be injured compared to workers at non-Amazon warehouses. The culprit, apparently, is the pace of work in Amazon facilities.
Report says Amazon’s emphasis on speed puts workers at risk
According to the report, Amazon’s warehouse employees are forced to work at “an extremely fast and often dangerous pace.” The company’s safety protocols are nearly impossible to follow because the company demands such fast rates of work.
The report also accuses Amazon of manipulating injury data to make its facilities seem less dangerous. Specifically, the report states that Amazon compares its warehouses of all sizes to only the largest non-Amazon warehouses, which tend to have higher injury rates than smaller facilities, according to an NPR article on the report.
Just as disturbingly, the report states that Amazon actively discourages workers from receiving medical care beyond first aid from on-site health facilities, according to the NPR story.
Amazon, however, disputes the allegations, defending its methodology and claiming its warehouses have only a slightly higher injury rate than the industry average.
Warehouse workers face significant risks while on the job
Working in a warehouse can be dangerous. The most common on-the-job accidents in warehouse settings include:
- Overexertion injuries, such as muscle strains, back and neck injuries, and joint pain.
- Forklift accidents, including lift overturns.
- Slips, trips, and falls, often due to exposed cords, poor lighting, spills, uneven walking surfaces, or boxes and debris, as well as the drop between the loading dock and the ground level.
- Struck by objects such as collapsing pallets or falling merchandise.
Moving too quickly can increase the risk of all these injuries since workers in a hurry may be less attentive to obstacles or have less time to avoid a collision. In addition, when the emphasis is on fulfilling orders as quickly as possible, maintenance of the facilities may be neglected, which can increase the risk of slipping and tripping hazards.
In addition to accidents that occur at a moment in time, warehouse workers are vulnerable to repetitive stress injuries (RSI) from the cumulative strain on muscles, joints, and tendons that comes from lifting and pulling objects. Again, the high pace of work in Amazon facilities may increase the risk of developing RSIs.
If you’ve been hurt at work in Ohio, our attorneys can help
If you’ve been injured on the job, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits under Ohio law. Regardless of the cause of the accident, workers’ comp pays for the full cost of reasonable and necessary medical care, as well as partial replacement of your lost wages if you cannot work and certain other benefits if you have a permanent disability.
In some circumstances, we may also be able to pursue a third-party personal injury claim against an entity other than your employer, such as an equipment manufacturer or outside vendor or contractor. However, you need to move quickly to protect your legal rights and options and secure the compensation you deserve.
If you were hurt on the job at an Amazon facility or any other workplace, schedule your free consultation with Hochman & Plunkett Co., L.P.A. We have offices in Dayton, Cincinnati, Springfield, Troy, and Columbus, Ohio.