A recent 160-page review by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions shed light on Amazon's approach to workplace safety in its warehouses. The report, initiated by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, highlighted findings from internal Amazon studies that linked worker productivity to injury risks.
One study, known as Project Elderwand, identified a threshold for repetitive movements that could lead to musculoskeletal disorders. The study recommended implementing software to regulate breaks based on individual worker pace but Amazon did not adopt these changes citing technical reasons.
Another study, Project Soteria, suggested policies that temporarily reduced injury risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Amazon leadership rejected the recommendations, expressing concerns about potential impacts on productivity.
Amazon disputed the Senate report's claims, stating that the suggested interventions from the studies were ineffective and that the company prioritizes worker safety.
The report also alleged that Amazon manipulates injury data to present its warehouses as safer than they are, a claim the company refuted. The Senate committee criticized Amazon for not providing documents related to the link between work pace and injuries.
Despite Amazon's pushback, the Senate committee obtained details about the internal studies from a worker safety case in Washington. After identifying the studies, the committee reached out to Amazon for further information.
Overall, the Senate report raises concerns about Amazon's handling of worker safety recommendations and its prioritization of productivity over injury prevention.
