May 5, 2021
Concerns Rise over the Safety of Amazon Warehouse Employees
Amazon is one of the largest companies in the world, with over 1.2 million employees worldwide as of February 2021. In the United States alone, there are 110 active fulfillment warehouses that are used for storage and distribution of goods.
Ensuring the safety of their employees has been a claimed top priority for the company, however, Amazon has recently been criticized for failing to take proper safety precautions to prevent on-the-job injuries at their warehouse facilities.
How Big Is the Problem?
In April 2018, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, a labor advocacy group, announced that Amazon topped its “Dirty Dozen” list of companies that put workers at risk due to unsafe work practices. The report cited the company’s lack of concern for employee health and safety, failure to report work injuries, and unsafe working conditions as some of the reasons why it was considered one of the most dangerous workplaces in the United States.
While the company has invested millions of dollars into robotics technologies to reduce the risk of warehouse injuries and automate the work being done, injuries are still happening in large numbers. According to a report from Reveal, there were more than 14,000 serious injuries to Amazon workers in 2019 that led to days off or work restrictions.
Workers at the warehouses are required to hit certain production quotas that are increasing year after year. Not surprisingly, injuries increase during high-volume periods, such as Prime Day and holidays. Additionally, numerous lawsuits have been filed against the company because of injuries sustained at work, many of which relate to:
- Negligence on behalf of Amazon supervisors for failing to mitigate workplace hazards
- Failure to deliver and/or complete paperwork related to workers’ compensation claims
- Exposing workers to ergonomic risks that result in various injuries
Injured at Work? Get Help Today
At Hansford McDaniel LLC, our legal team has been protecting the rights of injured workers across Georgia for decades. Should you be injured while working for Amazon or another large company, know that we are here to fight hard for the benefits you deserve.
Your path to recovery starts here. Contact our Atlanta workers’ compensation attorneys at (770) 741-2825 to get started with a no-fee, no-obligation consultation.
