OSHA Says Workplace Injury Complaints Too Common at Amazon

It would be difficult to find someone in Louisiana who has not heard of Amazon. The company sells just about anything a consumer could want, and orders are often fulfilled right away. It can be easy for consumers to forget that even though their transactions are done via computer, there are real people working for Amazon, and any one of those employees could suffer from a workplace injury.
For example, OSHA reports that Amazon’s workers spend a significant amount of time bending at the waist, which is known to cause stress injuries due to the repetitive movement. These can happen when employees work 10 hour shifts and sometimes mandatory overtime. However, these are not the only injuries that workers can — and have — suffered.
For example, in 2013, a temporary worker who was sorting packages was crushed in a conveyor system and died in New Jersey. In 2014, a worker at a Pennsylvania fulfillment center died as well, but no details were provided regarding that incident. Furthermore, OSHA says that Amazon’s on site medical staff acts outside of its scope, which could mean that injured workers are not receiving the treatment they need and deserve. In fact, Amazon was fined for not reporting all of the injuries that occur in its facilities as required.
An employer that fails to follow OSHA’s safety regulations dramatically increases the odds of a workplace injury occurring. Fortunately, most employers care about the safety of their employees and do what they can to keep them safe. That does not mean, however, that no one will ever be injured. For Louisiana workers who are injured, workers’ compensation benefits are available to help with medical costs, lost income and other issues.