Did you know that when you order something from Amazon the person who is picking your order at the warehouse and getting it on the truck to arrive at your home two days later may be facing a Connecticut workers’ compensation injury due to the activity that they are participating in?
A nationwide probe into working conditions at Amazon warehouses by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found that workers who are on the floor at Amazon warehouses are often at greater risk of lower back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders. Workers at three separate warehouses of the e-commerce giant; Deltona, Florida; Waukegan, Illinois; and New Windsor, New York, were all found to have workers performing duties that constituted an unacceptable hazard.
Workers at the three warehouses were found to be moving in a way that is twisting, bending and reaching long distances more than 9 times per minute which in the eyes of federal investigators presented a great risk to warehouse workers.
While there were no warehouses in Connecticut that were investigated the company still faces the maximum allowable fine under law of $60,269 which is a violation of the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The legislation requires that employers provide a working environment for its employees that is free from recognized hazards.
If you are working at a warehouse for Amazon or any other company you have rights that you should be able to exercise without retaliation from the company. If you feel that your working conditions are outside of the allowable definition of safety laid out by the federal government you should report these issues to your supervisor. If your supervisor refuses to take sufficient action to protect the workers in your warehouse you can then file a complaint with OSHA. The anonymous complaint will be filed and then investigators will look into your claim. Your employer should never become aware of who filed the complaint.
Filing a complaint with OSHA will not guarantee that you will be free from becoming injured and having to file a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim with your employer, but it will give you peace of mind that the unsafe working conditions are being independently reviewed. When the issues are investigated, if wrong-doing is occurring your employer will need to address the issues, usually within a very short period of time to keep workers safe.
If you have questions about filing a workers’ compensation claim or need help walking through the process, you may need to speak with an attorney. Contact our office and one of our board certified workers’ compensation attorneys may speak with you about how to file your claim properly.
