When employees are racing to meet unreasonable deadlines, lifting heavy packages, and working beyond their capacity to avoid losing their jobs, something isn’t right with a company’s work operations. Unfortunately, this is the daily reality for many Amazon warehouse workers.
A recent Senate investigation has exposed troubling concerns about how Amazon prioritizes fast delivery over employee safety. This investigation is raising serious questions about the human cost behind Amazon’s rapid shipping promises.
For 18 months, The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee investigated Amazon’s workplace practices. Their findings reveal a company that relentlessly pushes for speed at the expense of its workers’ well-being. Interviews with more than 130 Amazon employees and a review of seven years of injury data uncovered injury rates at Amazon warehouses that far exceed industry standards.
How dangerous are Amazon warehouses compared to industry standards?
According to the investigation, Amazon warehouse employees are nearly twice as likely to suffer injuries compared to workers at other warehouses. While the company claims that it prioritizes a safe working environment, it reported over 30% more injuries than the industry average in 2023 alone.
The investigation points to Amazon’s relentless drive for speed as the core issue. Workers are under constant pressure to maintain “an extremely fast and often dangerous pace.” While safety protocols technically exist, employees report that the company’s demanding productivity quotas make it nearly impossible to follow them. The fear of missing targets often forces workers to cut corners, which leads to a higher risk of accidents and injuries.
Employees describe an unforgiving system where even brief slowdowns can trigger warnings or disciplinary action. This constant strain turns routine tasks into high-risk activities that increase the likelihood of musculoskeletal injuries, falls, and other workplace hazards.
This is far from the first time Amazon has been criticized for unsafe working conditions. Workers in Bessemer, Alabama, have attempted to unionize multiple times since 2022, citing dangerous conditions and unrealistic productivity demands as major concerns.
What does the data say about Amazon injury rates?
Beyond the troubling injury rates, the Senate investigation accuses Amazon of distorting its safety data to minimize how dangerous its warehouses truly are. The company reportedly compares its injury rates to those of large warehouses with over 1,000 employees. However, since many of Amazon’s facilities have far fewer workers, this selective comparison skews the data and makes Amazon’s safety record seem better than it actually is.
The Senate committee called out this practice as misleading. “If the injury rate at Amazon’s warehouses was compared to the average injury rate for all of the nation’s warehouses — instead of just those included in the company’s preferred subcategory — Amazon’s safety record would look much more troubling,” the report noted.
This strategic data manipulation raises serious concerns about Amazon’s transparency and whether it genuinely values worker safety or simply manages its public image.
Perhaps even more alarming are claims that Amazon discourages injured workers from seeking adequate medical care. The investigation highlights troubling practices within Amazon’s on-site health clinics, known as AmCare. Employees report that AmCare staff often blame them for their injuries and actively discourage them from pursuing outside medical treatment.
Rather than referring injured workers to specialists for proper diagnosis and care, AmCare allegedly limits treatment to basic first aid. In some cases, employees say they were sent back to work without proper evaluation.
What kinds of injuries occur in Amazon warehouses?
Behind Amazon’s promise of lightning-fast delivery are workers enduring chronic pain, limited mobility, and sometimes permanent disabilities. The physically demanding nature of warehouse work has led to widespread musculoskeletal injuries in Amazon warehouses.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has previously flagged Amazon for exposing workers to these hazards. For example, employees have reported twisting, bending, and reaching for items up to nine times per minute during peak shifts. Over time, this intense physical strain leads to back injuries, joint pain, and repetitive stress disorders.
Our law firm protects the rights of injured warehouse workers
Being hurt on the job can be a frustrating experience, especially when your employer pushes you to exceed your physical limits. While the medical bills are piling up, your paycheck has stopped, and you’re worried about how to support yourself and your family, you may not know where to turn.
The good news is that the New York workers’ compensation system is designed to compensate you for medical expenses, lost wages, and rehabilitation while you recover. However, getting workers’ comp benefits can be a complicated process without the help and guidance of an experienced New York workers’ comp lawyer.
The legal team at Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano LLP has over 90 years of experience protecting the rights of hardworking New Yorkers like you. Our team has a deep understanding of New York’s workers’ compensation laws and fights relentlessly to make sure our clients get the medical care and financial compensation they need.
It costs you nothing to talk to us, and there’s no pressure—just honest answers and real help. To learn more about your potential legal options after a work injury, contact us today for your free consultation.
“Pasternack Tilker Ziegler have been awesome in handling my injury case. My paralegal Randy Paula has been especially attentive and helpful through this entire process. I don’t think I would be having this much success in getting treatments without them.”
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