Officials are investigating the death of a worker at an Amazon facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, according to a May 8 report from the Associated Press.
An Allen County Sheriff’s Department spokesman told the AP that emergency crews were called to an Amazon Fulfillment Center about noon Monday, May 7. After being transported to a hospital, the worker was pronounced dead, according to the report.
“We’re conducting a thorough investigation of the incident and working closely with authorities as they conduct their own investigations as well,” Amazon said in a statement, according to the AP.
As of May 8, the worker had not been identified.
The news out of Indiana comes as federal labor officials are investigating Amazon for allegedly failing to provide appropriate medical treatment for chronic and traumatic injuries at a facility in Castleton, New York.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration alleges that at least six employees with head injuries and four with back injuries “did not receive timely, necessary medical care.”
“Injured workers were returned to their jobs and, in many cases, their injuries became worse as a result,” OSHA said in a statement.
OSHA said Amazon could be fined more than $15,000 for the violations.
“The work at these fulfillment facilities is physically demanding,” said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. “Returning a worker with a back injury or possible concussion to their job without proper medical evaluation and care can lead to prolonged injuries and lifelong suffering. The examples uncovered by our investigation demonstrate a callous disregard for the well-being of Amazon’s Castleton employees that is completely unacceptable.”
OSHA currently has 20 open inspections at Amazon centers in the U.S.
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