Nearly half of Amazon’s employees in the U.S. have reported sustaining injuries at the company’s famously fast-paced warehouses, with some workers reporting they have to take unpaid time off from their jobs to recover, reports CBS News (Oct. 25, 2023).
A new study found that 41% of the e-commerce giant’s workers have gotten hurt on the job. Of those employees, 69% had to take unpaid time off to recover from pain or exhaustion in the past month. Amazon workers’ self-reported injury rate is nearly six times higher than what some previous reports.
The survey data in the study of 1,400 current Amazon workers indicate that how Amazon designs its processes — including extensive monitoring and the rapid pace of work — are contributing to a considerable physical and mental health toll, including injuries, burnout and exhaustion. Amazon uses an electronic system to track its warehouse workers’ productivity, using specialized software, handheld scanning devices and other tools to track the time it takes employees to complete their duties.
According to the survey, that system contributes to the pressure some workers feel to work faster, making them more likely to suffer injuries or experience burnout. Previously collected data has also shown that the rate of injuries at Amazon’s warehouses is higher than industry averages. In 2022, one Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) study found that there were 6.6 serious injuries for every 100 Amazon workers. That number is more than double the injury rate at all non-Amazon warehouses, which reported 3.2 serious injuries for every 100 workers. It means workers there sustained more than 34,000 serious injuries that year.
“This is not a ‘study’ — it’s a survey done on social media by groups with an ulterior motive,” said an Amazon spokesperson. The study does note that Amazon has taken measures to prioritize the safety of its workers. Still, many workers suffer injuries anyway, with those who struggle to keep up with the company’s fast pace of operations more likely to be hurt on the job.
California passed a bill regulating the use of production quotas in warehouse distribution centers, and Washington state has issued Amazon multiple citations for unsafe working conditions, including the company’s “very high pace of work.”
Classroom discussion questions:
- Chapter 10 discusses job design, ergonomics, and work measurement. (See pages 411-413). What tools could Amazon employ to make its warehouse jobs safer?
- Why do workers sustain such high rates at Amazon facilities?
