Amazon is facing a willful serious violation and a $60,000 fine for knowingly putting workers at risk of injury at its fulfillment center in Kent.
A Washington state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) inspection at the e-commerce company found 10 of the 12 processes L&I evaluated create a serious hazard for work-related back, shoulder, wrist and knee injuries, according to a March 21 state Department of L&I news release.
“We strongly disagree with L&I’s claims and don’t believe they are supported by the facts,” said Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel in a March 21 email. “We intend to appeal the citation.”
L&I ergonomists found that many Amazon jobs involve repetitive motions, lifting, carrying, twisting and other physical work. Workers are required to perform these tasks at such a fast pace that it increases the risk of injury.
The citation requires Amazon to submit a written plan to L&I within 60 days, detailing methods the company will use to abate the safety issues. L&I provided numerous options Amazon can consider to reduce the risk of injuries. Some examples include installing height adjustable platforms to reduce awkward lifting, using powered equipment to move heavy pallets and setting a safe pace of work for each process.
Because L&I has cited Amazon for similar violations at three Washington locations, the company is aware of these hazards, according to the news release. The other fulfillment centers cited include two in DuPont and one in Sumner, according to a L&I spokesperson. Amazon also has fulfillment centers in Bellevue, Spokane, Everett and SeaTac.
Therefore, the most recent violation is classified as a willful violation and comes with a significantly higher penalty than those issued as a result of earlier inspections, according to L&I. The company has not yet made necessary changes to improve workplace safety and has consistently denied the association between pace of work and injury rates.
Amazon has 15 working days to appeal the latest citation and fine. The company has active appeals in the three previous cases.
Fines paid as a result of a citation go into the workers’ compensation supplemental pension fund, helping workers and families of those who have died on the job.
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