OSHA Cites Amazon for Recordkeeping Violations
Following inspections at six warehouse facilities, the e-commerce company now faces up to $29,000 in proposed penalties.
- By Alex Saurman
- Dec 20, 2022
Inspections at six Amazon warehouse facilities across the U.S. have resulted in citations for violations relating to recordkeeping, OSHA announced late last week.
According to a news release, inspections were first opened on July 18 at three warehouse facilities in Florida, Illinois, and New York. A few weeks later on August 1, additional inspections were opened for three facilities in Colorado, Idaho and New York.
These inspections, sparked by “referrals from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York,” were followed by OSHA citations for 14 recordkeeping violations relating to not recording, properly classifying and following time recording requirements for injuries and illnesses. In addition, OSHA said the e-commerce company did “not provid[e] OSHA with timely injury and illness records.” Proposed penalties total $29,008.
The investigations are still ongoing.
"Solving health and safety problems in the workplace requires injury and illness records to be accurate and transparent," said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker in the news release. "Our concern is that nothing will be done to keep an injury from recurring if it isn't even recorded in the logbook which—in a company the size of Amazon—could have significant consequences for a large number of workers."
Photo credit: Frederic Legrand - COMEO / Shutterstock.com
About the Author
Alex Saurman is a former Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety,who has since joined OH&S’s client services team. She continues to work closely with OH&S’s editorial team and contributes to the magazine.