A Senate investigation has revealed that Amazon’s warehouses become increasingly
dangerous for workers during the company’s annual Prime Day event and the holiday
season. The report, released by Senator Bernie Sanders, chairman of the Senate
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, found that the company’s emphasis
on speed and efficiency leads to “extremely unsafe conditions” for warehouse workers.
According to the report, the recordable injury rate during Prime Day 2019 exceeded 10 per
100 workers, more than double the average in the US warehousing and storage industry.
The total injury rate, including injuries not reported to the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), was a staggering 45 per 100 workers.
Workers have described the experience of working in Amazon warehouses during peak
periods as “grueling,” with long hours and intense pressure to meet productivity targets.
The company’s use of surveillance and tracking systems to monitor worker performance
has also been criticized for creating a culture of fear and stress.
Amazon has pushed back against the report, claiming that the safety and health of its
employees is its top priority. The company says it has reduced its recordable incident rate
in the US by 28% since 2019 and carefully plans and staffs up for major events like Prime
Day.
However, the Senate report suggests that Amazon’s profits, which reached $10.4 billion in
the first three months of 2024, come at the expense of worker safety and well-being. The
company’s emphasis on speed and efficiency, combined with its relentless pursuit of
growth and profits, creates a dangerous environment for workers, the report concludes.
