OSHA Cites 3 Amazon Warehouses for Ergonomic Hazards - Modern Distribution Management

OSHA Cites 3 Amazon Warehouses for Ergonomic Hazards

The citations come after inspections at three warehouse facilities in Deltona, Florida; Waukegan, Illinois; and New Windsor, New York.
The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Amazon for failing to keep workers safe, and has issued hazard alert letters after inspections at three warehouse facilities – in Deltona, Florida; Waukegan, Illinois; and New Windsor, New York – after finding workers exposed to ergonomic hazards.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Amazon after finding workers exposed to ergonomic hazards at three warehouse facilities, the U.S. Department of Labor announced Jan. 20.

The warehouse facilities under investigation are located in in Deltona, Florida; Waukegan, Illinois; and New Windsor, New York, the department said. Amazon could potentially face fines totaling $60,269 for these violations.

OSHA officials cited the company for violations of the “general duty clause” in the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, which generally requires companies to keep workers safe. The department also cited Amazon for allegedly exposing workers at the Florida warehouse to struck-by hazards.

“OSHA investigators found Amazon warehouse workers at high risk for lower back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders related to the high frequency with which workers are required to lift packages and other items; the heavy weight of the items; awkward postures, such as twisting, bending and long reaches while lifting; and long hours required to complete assigned tasks,” the department said in a statement. “OSHA also reviewed on-site injury logs required by OSHA and discovered that Amazon warehouse workers experienced high rates of musculoskeletal disorders.”

Similar investigations are ongoing at Amazon locations in Aurora, Colorado; Nampa, Idaho; and Castleton, New York.

Amazon has 15 business days after receiving the citations and proposed penalties to either comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before an OSHA committee.

“Each of these inspections found work processes that were designed for speed but not safety, and they resulted in serious worker injuries,” said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. “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 well-being of its workers.”

Related Posts

Share this article

About the Author
Recommended Reading
Leave a Reply

Leave a Comment

Sign Up for the MDM Update Newsletter

The MDM update newsletter is your best source for news and trends in the wholesale distribution industry.

2

articles left

Want more Premium content from MDM?

Subscribe today and get:

  • New issues twice each month
  • Unlimited access to mdm.com, including 10+ years of archived data
  • Current trends analysis, market data and economic updates
  • Discounts on select store products and events

Subscribe to continue reading

MDM Premium Subscribers get:

  • Unlimited access to MDM.com
  • 1 year digital subscription, with new issues twice a month
  • Trends analysis, market data and quarterly economic updates
  • Deals on select store products and events

1

article
left

You have one free article remaining

Subscribe to MDM Premium to get unlimited access. Your subscription includes:

  • Two new issues a month
  • Access to 10+ years of archived data on mdm.com
  • Quarterly economic updates, trends analysis and market data
  • Store and event discounts

To continue reading, you must be an MDM Premium subscriber.

Join other distribution executives who use MDM Premium to optimize their business. Our insights and analysis help you enter the right new markets, turbocharge your sales and marketing efforts, identify business partners that help you scale, and stay ahead of your competitors.

Register for full access

By providing your email, you agree to receive announcements from us and our partners for our newsletter, events, surveys, and partner resources per MDM Terms & Conditions. You can withdraw consent at any time.

Learn More about Custom Reports

Request a Market Prospector Demo

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Get the MDM Update Newsletter

Wholesale distribution news and trends delivered right to your inbox.

Sign-up for our free newsletter and get:

  • Up-to-date news in a quick-to-read format
  • Free access to webcasts, podcasts and live events
  • Exclusive whitepapers, research and reports
  • And more!