Good news and bad news for Amazon

On Behalf of | Apr 18, 2023 | Workers' Compensation

Amazon continues its e-tailer domination. However, with success has come a brighter spotlight that reveals a significant number of injured workers, specifically warehouse workers.

Good news came Amazon’s way this month, as injury rates in 2022 represented a reduction from the previous year. According to analysts for a coalition of labor unions, injuries were still worse than in 2020.

Worker injuries continue

The Strategic Organizing Center analyzed data submitted by Amazon to OSHA. The company’s injury rate last year was 6.9 percent, down from nearly eight percent the previous year in 2021. In 2020, the percentage was at 6.6. The results reflected a similar Amazon report in 2022 that revealed the same injury rate for warehouse workers combined with a recordable injury rate of 6.7 percent throughout domestic operations, down from 7.6 percent in 2021.

Simply put, Amazon characteristically ranks higher than its peers when it comes to worker injuries. In 2022, the number of 70 percent higher than competitor warehouses. Much of the blame is focused on the significant pace where productivity is tracked, if not micro-managed, all in an effort to get packages to customers faster than their competitors.

Federal probes launched

Accusations abound of the company stopping probes launched by federal safety regulators citing Amazon for placing workers at risk of failing to document injuries in some of their warehouses. Probes from federal safety regulators, specifically those made by OSHA, cited several Amazon warehouses that put workers at risk or failed to record injuries in some warehouses.

The study also revealed some improvements in the company’s rate of employee injuries at 6.6 per 100 workers in 2022, down from 6.8 in 2021.

Workers are entitled to the highest standards of safety. When companies fall short, workers can lose their livelihoods and potentially their lives.

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