Amazon warehouse employees may earn decent wages and theoretically have excellent job security because they work for one of the most successful companies in the world. However, warehouse positions are also occupations fraught with hazards.
Companies don’t become massive and hugely profitable by allowing a lot of worker downtime. Amazon warehouse work is incredibly demanding and often more dangerous than people realize. Despite attempts to control public perception of warehouse conditions, research into Amazon employment arrangements shows a very chilling trend.
Specifically, a large number of Amazon warehouse workers get hurt on the job or experience such extreme burnout that they require time away from work. Actual injury rates could be as much as six times higher than what previous research has uncovered.
How hard is working in an Amazon warehouse?
Amazon has very unforgiving scheduling requirements for workers. They work long shifts and may have to handle dozens of packages every hour depending on their role in the facility. Not only do they need to constantly rush throughout their shifts, but they cross paths with countless other workers also rushing through their daily jobs and even robots and other heavy machinery that can cause major injuries in some cases.
The risk of injury is constant, as one small mistake could lead to severe damage to a worker’s body. Fatigue and burnout are also concerns, as workers might find that they cannot continue to perform at the efficient rate the company demands every day without becoming exhausted. Many workers develop chronic pain that affects them at work and even after a shift ends.
According to a recent study, half of the workers in Amazon warehouses suffered injuries within a three-year period. In fact, more than two-thirds of the employees who spoke with researchers stated that they had to take unpaid leaves of absence because of injuries or exhaustion related to their work. Just over a third of the workers admitted to taking unpaid leave three or more times.
Other research has also found shockingly high rates of worker injuries. One study looking at workplace injury data found that Amazon warehouse workers have roughly twice as much risk of injury on the job as other warehouse employees.
Workers at Amazon warehouses should not have to accept lost income and medical expenses because of their job responsibilities. Many of those employees might have qualified for workers’ compensation benefits if they learned more about the program and their rights. Seeking workers’ compensation benefits can result in Amazon warehouse workers receiving compensation for their time away from their jobs and can help to cover the treatment costs generated by their on-the-job injuries. Seeking legal guidance is a great way to get started.