OSHA Cites Amazon for Hazardous Working Conditions

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued citations against Amazon at six of its warehouses for hazardous working conditions, ergonomic issues, and failure to report injuries. The warehouses are located in New York, Colorado, Illinois, Idaho, and Florida. There are currently dozens of open OSHA investigations into Amazon warehouses across the US, with high rates of injury occurring in the company’s warehouses. The National Labor Relations Board has also filed several complaints related to worker safety and organizing. Amazon, which is currently appealing all OSHA and Washington DLI citations, denies the allegations against the company.

Recently, OSHA has issued citations at three more Amazon warehouses – in Aurora, Colorado; Nampa, Idaho; and Castleton, New York – for failing to keep workers safe and delivered hazard alert letters for exposing workers to ergonomic hazards. OSHA cited the multinational e-commerce company for not providing safe workplaces in violation of the OSH Act’s general duty clause. The inspections follow referrals from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York that led the agency to open inspections and find similar violations at other Amazon warehouse facilities in Florida, Illinois, and New York in July 2022.

At all six locations, OSHA investigators found Amazon exposed warehouse workers to a high risk of low back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders. The risks they faced are related to the high frequency with which employees must lift packages and other items, the heavy weight of the items handled by workers, employees awkwardly twisting, bending and extending themselves to lift items, and long hours required to complete assigned tasks. OSHA reviewed on-site injury logs required by federal law and discovered that, in fact, Amazon warehouse workers experienced high rates of musculoskeletal disorders.

OSHA proposed $46,875 in penalties for the violations at the Aurora, Nampa, and Castleton facilities. “Amazon’s operating methods are creating hazardous work conditions and processes, leading to serious worker injuries,” explained Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. “They need to take these injuries seriously and implement a company-wide strategy to protect their employees from these well-known and preventable hazards.”

In December 2022, OSHA cited Amazon for 14 recordkeeping violations as part of the same investigation. In response, Amazon has 15 business days from receipt of the citation and proposed penalty to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

The US Department of Labor has also found Amazon exposed workers to ergonomic hazards at a company facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The facility is a delivery site that processes 5,000-10,000 packages per hour and receives about 50,000 packages per day. The Aug. 16, 2022, inspection came in response to an employee complaint of musculoskeletal disorders related to the site’s processing speed and blocked fire exits. OSHA has proposed $15,625 in penalties, an amount set by federal statute.

“We continue to find that Amazon’s work processes are designed for speed, not safety, and that these processes cause serious injuries to workers,” explained Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. “Amazon needs to focus more of its passion for innovation and performance on eliminating the hazards that injure workers.”

The citations mark the third time in 2023 OSHA has taken such action against Amazon. These inspections followed referrals from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

In Jan. 30, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington extended the OSH Act’s six-month limitations period related to the investigations at three facilities while Amazon complied with outstanding subpoenas and, accordingly, OSHA’s investigation continues.

Amazon has been accused of endangering the safety and health of its workers by allegedly failing to report injuries, misclassifying injuries and illnesses, and failing to keep workers safe from ergonomic hazards. OSHA has issued citations against Amazon at multiple warehouses across the US, with the latest citations coming from three more locations in Colorado, Idaho, and New York.

At all six locations, OSHA investigators found that Amazon exposed warehouse workers to a high risk of low back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders due to the high frequency with which employees must lift packages and other items, the heavy weight of the items handled by workers, employees awkwardly twisting, bending, and extending themselves to lift items, and long hours required to complete assigned tasks. OSHA reviewed on-site injury logs required by federal law and found that Amazon warehouse workers experienced high rates of musculoskeletal disorders.

Amazon has denied the allegations against the company and is currently appealing all OSHA and Washington DLI citations. However, the National Labor Relations Board has also filed several complaints related to worker safety and organizing.

Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker stated, “Amazon’s operating methods are creating hazardous work conditions and processes, leading to serious worker injuries. They need to take these injuries seriously and implement a company-wide strategy to protect their employees from these well-known and preventable hazards.” Parker emphasized the importance of injury and illness records being accurate and transparent, as this is essential to solving health and safety problems in the workplace.

These findings mark the seventh location where Amazon has been found to have ignored well-known hazards in 2023. OSHA has proposed penalties totaling $122,142 against Amazon for the violations found at these seven locations. The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

In response to the OSHA citations and proposed penalties, Amazon has stated that they are committed to the safety of their employees and that they have invested heavily in safety measures, including ergonomic equipment and training programs. The company has also stated that they are working with OSHA to address the issues raised in the inspections and are committed to ongoing improvement in their safety programs.

Despite Amazon’s claims of commitment to employee safety, the ongoing OSHA investigations and citations suggest that the company still has significant work to do in this area. With the continued growth of e-commerce and the increasing importance of warehouses and distribution centers in the economy, it is crucial that companies like Amazon prioritize the safety and well-being of their workers. As Assistant Secretary Parker stated, “Our hope is that the findings of our investigations inspire Amazon and other warehouses to make the safety and health of their workers a core value.”

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