While Amazon is the largest employer in the United States, it also ranks highest for the number of injuries its employees suffer on the job.
Amazon has been showing higher numbers of serious work-related accidents since 2017, and these are just the injuries that were so serious employees had to miss work or be shifted to light-duty tasks.
The Seattle-based company’s injury rate got even more shocking to Sherman Oaks personal injury attorneys when OSHA reported that their 2020 injury rate was nearly double the rate of non-Amazon warehouses. While Amazon has 5.9 injuries for every 100 employees, their competitor Walmart has 2.5 cases of serious injuries per 100 workers.
What’s the cause of this high rate of employee injury? Our work injury attorney in Sherman Oaks had the same question, and most people agree that Amazon’s intense productivity requirements are to blame.
Amazon warehouse workers have to box a certain number of packages per hour, and many have even reported urinating in bottles since they don’t have time to use the restroom. When employees rush like this, they are more likely to try and cut corners.
The hypothesis that Amazon’s high injury rate is caused by rushing employees is further supported by the fact that their injury rates declined during the pandemic when its warehouses put more systems in place to encourage sanitization and social distancing.
Walmart is the only employer larger than Amazon, so hopefully Amazon can learn from Walmart on how to protect its employees. Amazon warehouse workers have long been complaining about the conditions and the toll it takes on their bodies.
Workplace injuries can occur as a result of a slip and fall or something more serious, like defective safety gear and lack of safety guidelines. If you were injured at work, you should be able to get workers’ compensation coverage for your accident.
If you are an independent contractor or otherwise ineligible for workers’ comp, then you should contact a personal injury attorney. They will be able to help you prove liability and add up the number of your damages so that your settlement covers all your suffering. Contact us for a free case evaluation. Call 424-285-5419 now!