Senate probe finds Amazon’s Prime Day a ‘major’ cause of worker injuries

Amazon Prime Day, the 48-hour discount blitz that begins on Tuesday, has been identified as a "major" contributor to worker injuries, according to preliminary results from a Senate investigation. The Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee released interim findings from its yearlong probe into Amazon’s warehouse working conditions just as the company holds its annual Prime Day event.

The investigation revealed internal data from Amazon indicating that the injury rate among warehouse workers during Prime Day 2019 was "just under" 45 injuries per 100 workers. This equates to nearly half of the company’s warehouse workforce being injured, according to the report. The data also included injuries that Amazon is not required to report to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Senator Bernie Sanders, who chairs the HELP committee, criticized Amazon for its treatment of workers. "Amazon continues to treat its workers as disposable and with complete contempt for their safety and wellbeing," Sanders stated. "That is unacceptable and that has got to change." His comments reflect the growing concern among lawmakers and labor advocates about the working conditions at Amazon warehouses, particularly during high-demand periods like Prime Day.

The report highlights that Amazon’s warehouses have been understaffed during peak periods such as Prime Day and the holiday shopping season, increasing the risk to workers who have to handle higher volumes without additional support. An internal Amazon document titled “2021 Prime Day Lessons Learned” revealed that Amazon met only 71.2 percent of its hiring target between May and June of 2021, just before that year's Prime Day.

Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel responded to the report by saying it overlooks the improvements Amazon has made. "It draws sweeping and inaccurate conclusions based on unverified anecdotes, and it misrepresents documents that are several years old and contained factual errors and faulty analysis," Nantel said. She added that since 2019, Amazon has reduced its incident rate for injuries requiring more than basic first aid by 28% in the U.S., and its lost time incident rate, involving more significant injuries leading to missed work days, by 75%.

Amazon has faced significant scrutiny over its workplace injury record and treatment of warehouse and delivery workers. Federal regulators have cited the company for safety violations, and investigations by OSHA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are ongoing at several warehouses. The U.S. Department of Justice is also examining whether Amazon underreports injuries.

In response to the scrutiny, Amazon announced plans in March to invest more than $750 million in safety initiatives this year. This substantial investment is aimed at enhancing workplace safety and reducing injury rates among its warehouse and delivery workers. Additionally, Amazon has appealed a series of citations issued by OSHA for safety hazards and violations, contesting the regulatory findings.

The company is also exploring technological solutions to improve safety. Amazon has been automating certain tasks and introducing more robotic systems in its warehouses. The company asserts that these technological advancements can enhance worker safety by reducing the need for physically demanding and repetitive tasks. However, this claim remains a topic of debate, with some experts questioning the effectiveness of automation in mitigating workplace injuries and emphasizing the need for comprehensive safety measures beyond technological solutions.