‘Shameful’ figures reveal more than a thousand serious injuries at Amazon sites have been reported to health and safety bodies since 2016, a GMB investigation has found.
Disturbingly, the number of injuries reported to health and safety bodies is rapidly increasing.
294 were reported in the financial year 2020/21 – up from 231 the year before, or an increase of 27%. This compared to 139 reports in 2016/17.
The true figure could be much higher say the union, with not all local authorities having responded to the FOI survey.
Amazon sites with the most reported injuries over the last 5 years include Coalville (95), Dunfermline (93), and Manchester Sunbank Lane (87).
Central Bedfordshire had the most reports of any local authority, with 135 reports of serious injuries.
Local authority inspection reports obtained by GMB reveal multiple areas of concern, including: injuries to workers, unsafe working conditions, Covid-19 concerns, and poor health and safety record keeping or a lack of compliance with inspectors.
Separate new figures obtained by the union show that more than a thousand ambulance callouts were also made over the same period – and that callouts rose by 56% during the pandemic (between 2019/20 and 2020/21).
Despite Amazon’s claim that ‘the vast majority of ambulance call outs to our buildings are related to pre-existing conditions,’ ambulance trusts reported multiple callouts for falls, traumatic injuries, and cases of Covid-19.
“More than a thousand serious injuries at Amazon sites is a shameful statistic and one that the company must address urgently – and the true picture is probably worse.
“GMB investigations have now built up years’ worth of evidence and there can be no denying Amazon warehouse are currently dangerous, dehumanising places to work.
“We will be writing to the Health and Safety Executive to set out our findings – it is time for a proper external audit and investigation of working conditions at this highly profitable company.
“It’s time Amazon stopped burying its head in the sand, met with GMB and worked out how to make Amazon a great, safe place to work.
In reply to the allegations Amazon say that Wherever you are, at home, walking on the street or at work, if somebody has a health condition and requires medical attention you call for an ambulance. That does not mean that the home, street or workplace is unsafe.
Actual Ambulance call-out numbers have gone up in the past couple of years – but, you would expect that since the number of people working at Amazon and our operations sites in the UK have more than doubled since 2018.
A spokesperson for Amazon told us:
“Once again, our critics are using incomplete information that’s without context and designed to intentionally mislead. We know we’re not perfect and are continuing to get better every day, but the fact is that Amazon has 40% fewer injuries on average compared to other transportation and warehousing businesses in the UK. The vast majority of ambulance call outs to our buildings are related to pre-existing conditions, not work-related incidents, and as a responsible employer we will always call an ambulance if someone requires medical attention. Rather than arguing with critics who aren’t interested in facts or progress, we’re going to keep listening to our 55,000 employees, taking their feedback, and working hard to keep investing and improving for the long run.”
