Massachusetts Lawmakers Question Amazon About High Rate of Serious Injuries at the Company's Fall River Facility
New report finds problem is most pronounced during peak holiday shopping season
Washington, DC - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III (D-MA-04), on Friday wrote to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos asking about newly-reported data showing that the rate of serious injuries at a fulfillment facility in Fall River, MA is nearly three times higher than industry average, and requesting information about how the company is ensuring worker safety.
A new report from Reveal News and The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) analyzed newly-available data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Form 300 Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses at dozens of Amazon fulfillment facilities across the country, including the fulfillment center in Fall River, MA. Based on the available data, Reveal and CIR found the serious injury rate at Amazon facilities was more than double the industry average; and the rate at the Fall River facility is nearly three times the industry average. Amazon employs approximately 4,000 Massachusetts residents, nearly a quarter of which work at the Fall River facility.
"As we near the end of the peak season, we are seeking answers about why so many Massachusetts workers are getting seriously injured at Amazon fulfillment centers, and your plans to prioritize the safety of workers at all of your Massachusetts facilities during your busiest period of the year, and at all other times," wrote the lawmakers.
Their letter also cites Amazon's plans to open distribution centers in Holyoke, North Andover, and reportedly, in Quincy. In order to better understand Amazon's plans to address the high rate of serious injuries at the Fall River facility and prioritize the safety of Amazon workers as the company expands its footprint in the Commonwealth, the lawmakers have requested answers to their questions no later than January 6, 2020.
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