Amazon Under Fire for Warehouse Injury Rates, Senate Report Claims
Amazon is facing renewed criticism for prioritizing delivery speed over employee safety, according to a report released after an 18-month investigation led by Senator Bernie Sanders.
The findings highlight long-standing concerns raised by workers and labor advocates who accuse the tech giant of enforcing demanding work quotas that lead to alarmingly high injury rates in its U.S. warehouses. Despite internal reviews suggesting changes that could improve safety, the report claims Amazon rejected those recommendations to protect profits.
Amazon strongly denied the allegations, calling the report “factually inaccurate” and accusing investigators of cherry-picking outdated information to fit a misleading narrative.
“This investigation wasn’t about uncovering facts,” the company said. “It was an attempt to distort reality to suit a false story.”
Key Findings of the Investigation
The investigation, launched in June 2023, included 135 interviews and the review of over 1,000 documents. It found:
- Injury rates at Amazon warehouses were over 30% higher than the industry average in 2023.
- For the past seven years, Amazon workers were nearly twice as likely to be injured compared to warehouse employees at competing companies.
The report also revealed details from Amazon’s internal study, dubbed Project Soteria, which explored links between work pace and injuries. Among the recommendations were allowing workers more rest time and ending disciplinary measures for failing to meet productivity quotas. However, the investigation claims Amazon ignored these suggestions.
Amazon’s Defense
Amazon, which employs approximately 800,000 workers in the U.S., argued that its injury rates have declined in recent years and pointed to a recent legal victory that dismissed safety-related complaints. The company also criticized Project Soteria’s methodology, asserting that a separate review deemed its findings unreliable.
“Nothing is more important to Amazon than the safety of our employees,” the company insisted, pushing back against claims of negligence.
Background and Ongoing Concerns
Amazon’s treatment of warehouse workers has been a contentious issue for years, with scrutiny intensifying during the Covid-19 pandemic when e-commerce demand surged. Protests erupted globally, and even former CEO Jeff Bezos acknowledged that the company needed to “do better” for its employees.
Senator Sanders, a vocal advocate for workers’ rights, spearheaded the investigation through the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Democratic members who endorsed the report argue that Amazon’s practices are endangering employees while attempting to obscure the true state of warehouse safety.
Conclusion
While Amazon insists its safety record is improving, the Senate report paints a different picture, one of high injury rates and ignored solutions. Whether these findings will lead to concrete changes remains to be seen, but the clash between Amazon and its critics over employee welfare shows no signs of slowing down.
