There’s no question that busy times can be good for business, but not necessarily good for workers – especially when it comes to increased volume, pressure, stress, and risks for injuries.
But just how dangerous are peak seasons, holidays, and major sales events for workers in consumer-oriented companies? According to a recent report from the U.S. Senate’s Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, very dangerous.
The report - titled "Peak Seasons, Peak Injuries” – explores the dangers of major sales events through the scope of Amazon’s Prime Day, an annual event marked by deep discounts for subscribers and massive profits for the company. Over the course of its two-day Prime Day event in 2023, for example, Amazon recorded $12.7 billion in sales for 375 million products.
But as profitable as Prime Day and other high-demand periods may be, the report notes, they’re also a major cause of injuries for the warehouse workers who make them possible. That’s due to, among other factors, an incredibly intense pressure to meet soaring quotas and an expedited pace required to fulfill an enormous volume of orders.
In its effort to illustrate how Amason’s business model prioritizes speed and profit over the safety and well-being of its workers, the report highlights several key findings:
- High Injury Rates: Data collected from various Amazon warehouses show a spike in injury rates during Prime Day events. During Prime Day 2019, for example, Amazon’s rate of recordable injuries reported to OSHA was over 10 injuries per 100 workers, which is more than double the industry average. Amazon’s total injury rate, which includes injuries the company isn’t required to disclose to OSHA, was just under 45 injuries per 100 workers, which is nearly half of the company’s warehouse employees. The report credits these alarming figures to an accelerated work pace and heightened expectations that create a dangerous environment where workers are more prone to musculoskeletal disorders, repetitive strain injuries, and acute accidents.
- Lack of Adequate Safety Measures: The report criticizes Amazon for failing to implement sufficient safety measures to protect workers, particularly during high-stress periods. Despite warnings and previous incidents, the company has not made significant improvements to reduce the risk of injuries.
- Pressure and Fear of Retaliation: Workers report that they often feel pressured to meet impossible quotas during high-demand periods like Prime Day, and that they fear retaliation if they fall short. This creates a toxic work culture where employees push themselves beyond safe physical limits, leading to more frequent and severe injuries.
- Inadequate Response to Injuries: The Senate report also discusses Amazon's inadequate response to workplace injuries, with some workers claiming that their injuries were downplayed or ignored. The company’s internal practices allegedly prioritize keeping productivity high rather than ensuring injured workers receive proper care and recovery time.
The Rights of Workers Injured on the Job
The recent Senate report on Amazon’s Prime Day highlights the perilous conditions that warehouse workers endure, especially during peak sales events. These workers, tasked with meeting exceptionally high quotas under immense pressure, are at a significantly increased risk of injury.
While Amazon and other employers have been slow to adopt necessary safety measures and policy changes to protect their employees, warehouse workers and others who perform jobs under high stress conditions should know that they have rights and options when they suffer work-related injuries. This can include recovering compensation through:
- Workers’ Compensation Claims: Workers' compensation is designed to provide financial support to employees who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses. It typically covers medical expenses, a portion of lost wages, and rehabilitation costs, regardless of who was at fault for the injury. This means that even if the injury was due to the inherent risks of the job, workers are still entitled to benefits.
- Civil Injury Lawsuits: In certain cases, workers may pursue a civil injury lawsuit if a third party was responsible for their injury or if the employer's gross negligence played a role. Unlike workers' compensation, which is limited to specific benefits, a civil lawsuit can potentially recover more extensive damages, including pain and suffering, full lost wages, and other non-economic losses. This option is typically pursued when the injury is severe, and the compensation provided by workers’ compensation is insufficient to cover the total impact of the injury on the worker’s life.
Our award-winning attorneys at Morrison & Hughes have helped injured victims and workers across the Atlanta metro area recover over $300 million in compensation. As a firm that practices both personal injury and workers’ compensation law, we’re available to help those who suffered harm in workplace accidents explore their options for recovering needed compensation – whether it be through a workers’ compensation claim or a civil personal lawsuit against a negligent third party.
If you have questions about a recent work-related injury and how we can help, call (404) 689-2734 or contact us online. Consultations are FREE and confidential.