Rep. Greenman statement on Minnesota OSHA issuing citations to Amazon for warehouse distribution worker safety and ergonomic hazards
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry's (DLI) Minnesota OSHA (MNOSHA) Compliance has issued a $10,500 penalty to Amazon in Shakopee, Minnesota, regarding worker safety hazards at a warehouse distribution center.
In October 2023, MNOSHA Compliance conducted an occupational safety and health inspection at Amazon's Shakopee facility. In April 2024, MNOSHA Compliance issued two serious citations, including a general duty clause violation related to ergonomic hazards and one violation of the warehouse distribution worker safety law. The inspection found Amazon did not protect employees from ergonomic hazards while selecting, sorting, packaging and shipping products in the outbound process and Amazon Fulfillment Engine, and warehouse employees who were expected to meet a quota of selecting, stowing and packaging products were not provided a written copy of the quota before they were expected to meet it. Amazon has contested the citations.
Rep. Emma Greenman (DFL - Minneapolis) was the author of the Warehouse Worker Protection Act that passed in 2023 and is the strongest Amazon warehouse worker safety protection bill in the nation and issued the following statement:
“Everyone deserves to be safe and respected at work but since Amazon set up shop in Minnesota, that has not been the experience of workers in their warehouses. When Amazon warehouse workers came to me, they described a culture of fear and anxiety, being pushed to the brink to meet quotas and “time off task” measures that were constantly changing and often not disclosed. The astronomical injury rates attributable to this business model prompted us to write policy to protect these Amazon warehouse workers, and to ensure that this dangerous high-tech business model doesn’t spread to other industries.
“DLI's investigations confirm what workers have been telling me since the law went into effect - Amazon isn't complying with requirements to tell workers the quotas they are expected to meet, or to keep workers safe from repetitive injuries. This is unacceptable. Amazon has the resources and technology to ensure that every one of their workers is safe when they are selecting, stowing, transporting, and packaging projects in their warehouses. Amazon may be the richest company in the world, but they too must follow Minnesota law and respect the rights and safety of workers on the job."
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