Amazon workers in Pennsylvania and across the country may be concerned about safety on the job. According to a recent investigation, workers at some Amazon warehouses report very poor job conditions. Across the United States, there are over 140 warehouses or fulfillment centers that process and package orders for the online retail giant.
These massive warehouses have reportedly had a number of severe workplace accidents, and many hurt workers allegedly received improper and ineffective treatment. Amazon was already under scrutiny as the company was listed by the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health as one of its “dirty dozen” most dangerous places to work in the country. Since 2013, seven people have been killed while working at Amazon warehouses, and three of those workers lost their lives in one five-week period in 2017.
One Amazon worker filed a lawsuit in April 2018, saying that managers at Amazon fired him after he injured his back at the warehouse. He also alleges that they failed to file a workers’ compensation claim despite him reporting his injuries. Other workers told similar stories, including one person who was fired five weeks following an on-the-job injury. Amazon is a large-scale employer with over 560,000 employees around the world, and the company claims that it has a strong record of workplace safety.
Workers can often face seriously dangerous workplace conditions, whether from excessive speed demands, violations of OSHA standards or a lack of protective equipment. In any case, people who are injured on the job have rights. A workers’ compensation lawyer can help an injured employee protect their rights and seek the benefits that they deserve.
