Federal safety inspectors said workers at Amazon’s warehouses in Waukegan and two other cities suffered back injuries and other health problems because of work rules “designed for speed, not safety.” found to be at a “high risk” of
It’s the second time in two months that three warehouses have been cited for safety-related violations.
In the latest case, investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said they found a “high rate of musculoskeletal disorders” in Amazon’s warehouse workers after examining logs of on-site injuries.
The agency blamed the “frequent lifting of luggage and other items by workers.” Item weight. Awkward postures such as twisting, bending, or reaching to lift an object. It takes a long time to complete the assigned tasks. ”
In a hazard alert letter to Amazon’s managers at Waukegan warehouses, OSHA said the company “will voluntarily take the necessary steps to eliminate or significantly reduce future employee exposure to the potential hazards described above.” It is recommended that
Letters were also sent to warehouses in Deltona, Florida and New Windsor, New York. Amazon faces fines totaling $60,269 for alleged violations in three locations.
Undersecretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker said, “Each of these inspections uncovered work processes that were designed for speed but were unsafe, resulting in serious injuries to workers.” said. “Amazon has developed excellent systems to ensure that customer orders are shipped efficiently and quickly, but has failed to demonstrate the same level of commitment to protecting the safety and health of its employees. bottom.”
In a statement, Amazon said, “We take the safety and health of our employees very seriously and strongly disagree with these allegations and intend to appeal.”
Last month, OSHA named warehouses in Waukegan, Deltona, New Windsor, and three other cities for not properly recording work-related injuries and illnesses.
The agency found that these warehouse managers did not record any injuries or illnesses. Misclassification of injuries and illnesses. Failure to record injuries and illnesses in the required time; failure to provide injury and illness records to OSHA in a timely manner.
Two years ago, a tornado hit a warehouse, killing six Amazon employees. In a lawsuit filed by the family of one of the victims, the company put workers at risk for ignoring severe weather warnings by forcing them to work minutes before a tornado hit on Dec. 10, 2021. claimed to have been exposed to
