Several months ago, a post on this blog stated that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was investigating an apparent discrepancy between a high rate of worker injuries at Amazon and at other warehouse companies and distribution centers throughout the country. A recent incident at a Missouri warehouse speaks to the types of injuries these workers have experienced. In this case, a 37-year-old woman who worked on a package assembly line says she did not get the care she needed when she felt a searing pain in her left arm after lifting a case of sparkling water bottles.
The woman reportedly went to the first aid center on-site at her job. Instead of sending her to an emergency room, she was given an ice pack and told to go back to work. While the woman did not return to the line that day (her shift was almost over) she continued to have pain the next day when she tried to drive to work.
Worker demanded to see a doctor after injuries occurred
The woman told her Amazon employers that she wanted to see a doctor. When the visit finally occurred, the doctor placed restrictions on her work duties. Amazon officials then reassigned the worker to an alternate position where she kept her injured arm in a sling during her 10-hour shifts using a dust mop to clean floors. Sometime later, the woman had an MRI that showed a torn ligament in her left wrist.
Whistleblowers at Amazon told reporters and OSHA investigators that the company is trying to keep workers’ compensation costs down and reduce the number of injuries reported to the government by reassigning injured workers to different positions. Amazon spokespeople have denied the allegations. Any Missouri worker who is facing workers’ comp issues at Amazon or another company may seek guidance to explore available legal options for resolving the issue in or out of court.
