Title: Amazon Worker Dies in Indiana After Safety Citation
An Amazon worker in Indiana lost his life in a tragic accident after his head collided with a conveyor belt. The incident resulted in a “serious” safety citation for the e-commerce giant the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This tragic event has drawn attention to Amazon’s safety record, which has been under scrutiny labor advocates and the families of workers who have either died or been injured while working in Amazon’s warehouses over the past few years.
A report The Washington Post highlighted the minimal consequences faced Amazon when its workers die on the job, even when state regulators attribute the fault to the company for not providing adequate safety measures. The article pointed out an incident in Indiana where a 20-year-old worker, Caes Gruesbeck, suffered fatal injuries after his head collided with a conveyor belt while he was on an elevated lift.
According to OSHA records, Amazon, a company that earns billions in revenue each quarter, received a $7,000 fine – the maximum penalty in the state of Indiana, despite regulators finding that the warehouse could have done more to address hazards that could cause death.
An attorney in Indiana, Stephen Wagner, expressed that there’s no real financial incentive for employers like Amazon to change the working environment to make it safe. A study in April, using OSHA’s data, revealed that the rate of worker injuries at Amazon’s warehouses was 70% higher than in similar facilities, with double the rate of serious injuries. Regulators have also criticized Amazon’s emphasis on speed at its warehouses, which has led to workers awkwardly twisting, bending, and extending themselves to lift items.
However, Amazon has defended its safety record, claiming to have reduced workplace injury rates almost 15% from 2019 to 2021. Despite this, the tragic incident in Indiana raises concerns about the safety standards in Amazon’s warehouses. When approached for comment, Amazon declined to respond to Business Insider.