MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota. It’s the holiday season. For many workers, this is a time of year to push forward, put in longer hours, and get the job done. However, for Amazon workers, the holiday season may be pushing some beyond their limit. When this happens, injuries can occur.
Amazon is known for its fast delivery service. Yet, with the holiday season underway, Amazon’s push to deliver orders in a timely fashion may have unintended consequences. According to the Seattle Times, Amazon is a prized employment opportunity in many communities. The company offers workers benefits, including stock shares, 401(k), and health insurance. However, many workers may push themselves to the limit in a quest to keep the prized job. The Seattle Times notes that Amazon tracks its workers’ performance with the same rigor it tracks the public’s shopping habits. While Amazon claims that its hard-working warehouse employees are injured at lower rates than department store workers, manufacturers, and other industries, federal lawsuits may suggest otherwise. CBS News reports that federal regulators cited Amazon for failing to report 26 workplace injuries and illnesses in a New Jersey warehouse. In addition to failing to report injuries, the citation notes that workers were not provided with the safety equipment they needed to prevent amputations and other injuries. For example, many jobs like this that involve warehouse work require forklift hire to move heavy loads which some workers allegedly had to forgo in order to meet time quotas. While most factory and warehouse managements try to adhere to safety measures, some companies fail to fulfill all the requirements. Loading, positioning goods, and other duties manually inside a warehouse put an intense strain on workers. But the availability of fort lifts and Hydraulic Lift Tables can promote safe lifting practices and prevent injuries.
In some instances, reports indicate that workers may have been instructed to tell doctors and emergency personnel that their injuries were not workplace-related. Other workers claimed that Amazon pressured employees to report their injuries in ways that wouldn’t trigger worker’s compensation claims or be reported to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In another report, workers with cancer or mothers who had suffered miscarriages were not given appropriate time to recover. The Seattle Times reported on other instances where Amazon allegedly tried to get rid of injured workers, rather than put them on lighter duty.
Reports indicate that the company’s work culture can be ruthless. The company monitors employee efficiency. Inefficient employees are fired. Workers who have been injured may be more at risk of losing their jobs or being written up. These are all concerning things to hear. Whether or not this is the case for Amazon warehouses and offices across the country and in other countries as well cannot be said for sure. According to Health & Safety regulations across the globe for all companies, not only should employees and workers be provided adequate training to maintain workplace safety, but also stringent measures should be taken at warehouses and office buildings to prevent minor & major injuries to all workers. Not only this, but companies that offer health and safety advice should be consulted to ensure that efficient procedures are in place and that employees are being treated in a considerate way. However, in the light of recent events, this does not seem to be the case at the Amazon warehouse. Perhaps OSHA should launch an investigation into this company to see if their workers are being mistreated. When working in a facility like Amazon, it’s easy to imagine how busy the warehouse probably is. Amazon should install a metal swing gate to keep workers from falling and experiencing injuries on ladders and platforms around the warehouse. There should be safety precautions around the site.
Amazon is not the only company that has been known to violate OSHA’s rules. The holiday season puts strain on workers across many industries, from delivery personnel to manufactures and the people supplying the energy we use. Workers are often pressured to work without the right equipment, such as a gas mask respirator when working with materials that emit fumes. The holiday season can also bring the risk of more injuries to workers who may be putting in overtime or facing higher workloads.
If you have acquired injuries such as impairments to your vision, you are a health and safety risk to yourself and other people. This is bad practice. Anyone who has responsibility over machinery let alone staff welfare has to be aware of this. If you have been injured on the job, it is important to protect your rights. You could consult a law firm with no-obligation consultations and get to know your next possible course of action. You may be entitled to receive compensation for lost wages and money to cover your medical expenses under worker’s compensation.
If you are having trouble with a claim, consider speaking to the Law Office of Martin T. Montilino, personal injury lawyers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Our firm can work with you and your family to help you receive the compensation you may deserve under the law. Some companies may try to discourage workers from making a claim, or may unfairly deny a claim. If you believe this is the case, you have rights. Visit our firm at https://martinmontilino.com/ to learn more.