Amazon employed 33% of all US warehouse staff in 2021, however was chargeable for 49% of all accidents within the trade, in response to a report printed Tuesday by the Strategic Organizing Heart (SOC), a coalition of 4 labor unions.
The SOC, which is made up of Service Staff Worldwide Union, Worldwide Brotherhood of Teamsters, Communications Employees of America, and United Farmworkers of America, analyzed 2021 harm knowledge that Amazon submitted to the Labor Division’s Occupational Security and Well being Administration.
In 2021, there have been 38,334 complete recordable accidents at Amazon services, and amongst these, roughly 34,000 had been thought of critical accidents the place the employees might not carry out their common jobs or needed to miss work consequently.
In keeping with the report, Amazon reported 6.8 critical accidents for each 100 of its warehouse staff. By comparability, different warehouses reported 3.3 critical accidents for each 100 staff, the report mentioned. The harm charges are calculated as aggregates of charges at particular person areas.
The brand new report, which notes that harm charges stay increased on the firm’s robotic warehouses than its non-robotic warehouses, discovered a notable decline in accidents in 2020 in comparison with the yr prior. The report notes Amazon’s non permanent easing of productiveness monitoring within the earlier months of the pandemic as a potential contributor.
In a press release concerning the SOC report, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel mentioned the corporate has employed “tens of 1000’s of extra folks to assist us meet the unexpected demand from Covid-19.”
“Like different firms within the trade, we noticed a rise in recordable accidents throughout this time from 2020 to 2021 as we educated so many new folks — nevertheless, whenever you evaluate 2021 to 2019, our recordable harm price declined greater than 13% yr over yr,” mentioned Nantel.
The SOC report exhibits that the harm price final yr is the second-highest within the firm’s previous 5 years, with the yr 2019 recording the very best price.
“Whereas we nonetheless have extra work to do and will not be happy till we’re glorious on the subject of security, we proceed to make measurable enhancements in lowering accidents and preserving staff secure, and recognize the work from all of our staff and security groups who’re contributing to this effort,” mentioned Nantel.
