The manufacturing industry is a field where workers are at a higher risk of sustaining injury, with 34 employees dying through the course of their employment in 2020/2021, a rise of 7 from the previous year.
This is the third highest sector, with only construction and agriculture having higher figures. The most common accidents include falls from height, being struck by a moving vehicle, being struck by a moving/fallen object, becoming trapped under equipment and having contact with moving machinery.
However, due to lapses in health and safety at Amazon, employees at the company have been found to be at an even higher risk of sustaining injury.
A study completed by a trade union in America in 2021 found that employees at Amazon suffered 5.9 injuries per 100 people, which is almost 80% higher than the rest of the industry. One warehouse in Coalville, England, recorded 95 injuries sustained at the one site in five years, with injuries at Amazon across the UK increasing by 27% in the same period.
The study also found that the injuries sustained at Amazon were usually more severe, with employees requiring 46.3 days off work on average due to an accident, which is 7 days more than the average across the rest of the warehouse industry.
The main cause of accidents was found to be Amazon’s “obsession with speed”, leading some employees to even urinate in plastic bottles due to toilet breaks putting too much pressure on their targets.
A further study by GMB union within the UK also found that the time constraints led warehouses to cut corners regarding COVID-19 rules, with employees being told that they would go unpaid if they did not turn up for work whilst pending their COVID-19 test results, which can take up to a week to come back.
Strict targets also led managers to ignore social distancing rules to speed up the process, leading a German union to urge workers to boycott the company and walk-out during Prime Day, Amazon’s busiest period.
Local Authority inspection reports within the UK raised several factors within the company as a cause for concern including injuries to workers, unsafe working conditions, COVID-19 concerns, lack of compliance with inspectors and a poor health and safety record
Furthermore, the technology news site, Motherboard, recently published a leaflet which employees received at Amazon’s Tulsa warehouse which stated that they should think of themselves as “industrial athletes”, where they should prepare their bodies for work.
It stated that some positions would “walk up to 13 miles a day… whilst others will have a total of 9072kg lifted before they complete their shift”. The booklet included tips on a diet to fuel the 400 calories burnt whilst on shift and advised what shoes to purchase to fit swollen feet. Although Amazon stated that this had been produced in error, an employee at the site stated that the document had been available for months.
However, although past injuries cannot be ignored, Amazon have recently stated that they aim to reduce its workplace injury rate by half. They confirmed within their statement that “we are continuously learning and seeking improvements through ergonomics programs, guided exercises at employees’ workstations, mechanical assistance equipment, workstation setup and design, and forklift telematics and guardrails”.
It is therefore hoped that the number of injuries sustained at Amazon will be reduced in the future. However, if you have sustained an injury at Amazon, Oakwood Solicitors can assist you.
What should you do if I have sustained an injury at work?
Oakwood Solicitors Ltd has a wealth of expertise in handling issues that arise from accidents at work, including those suffered in a warehouse environment.
We can advise you on your employment position and assist you with any claim you may wish to make against your employer (even if you are an agency worker). Claims can include reimbursing any loss of earnings you have incurred and providing any treatment which may be needed for your injury.
Further information
For more information about accidents in the workplace, read our FAQ.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
If you have any questions, please get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation with our Employers’ and Public Liability team.
Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9787 to find out how we can help you.
Sources:
GOVERNMENT SITE ON STATS FOR WAREHOUSE WORKERS
https://www.gmb.org.uk/news/more-1000-serious-injuries-reported-amazon-sites
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/amazon-injury-rate-highest-among-warehouses-worker-groups-allege/
Amazon warehouse injuries ‘80% higher’ than competitors, report – BBC News
Amazon accused of Covid failings as Prime Day begins – BBC News
‘I’m still in pain’: Amazon employees say climate of fear has led to high rates of injuries | Amazon | The Guardian
Alex Singleton joined Oakwood Solicitors in April 2021 as an experienced Paralegal, having worked in Personal Injury since 2018. Currently, Alex works in the Employers’ Liability and Public Liabilit…
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