At least the focus is off Dollar General for a while when it comes to workplace safety.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently issued citations at three more Amazon warehouses – in Aurora, Colorado; Nampa, Idaho; and Castleton, New York – for failing to keep workers safe. It also delivered hazard alert letters for exposing workers to ergonomic hazards.
OSHA cited the multinational e-commerce company for not providing safe workplaces in violation of the OSH Act's general duty clause. The inspections follow referrals from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York that led the agency to open inspections and find similar violations at other Amazon warehouse facilities in Florida, Illinois and New York in July 2022. OSHA later opened inspections in Aurora, Nampa and Castleton on Aug. 1, 2022.
At all six locations, OSHA investigators found Amazon exposed warehouse workers to a high risk of low back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders. The risks they faced are related to the following:
OSHA proposed $46,875 in penalties for the violations at the Aurora, Nampa and Castleton facilities.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor of the facilities market. He has more than 25 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
