After months of complaints from workers, Cal/OSHA cited Amazon on October 6th for safety failures in its response to COVID-19 outbreaks at two major warehouses in Southern California: the LGB3 Fulfillment Center in Eastvale and the DLA8 Delivery Station in Hawthorne.
Workers filed complaints with Cal/OSHA because they were tired of a company run by the richest man on Earth failing to adequately protect them and their families from COVID-19. The citations show workers were right to complain, because despite everything Amazon has publicly claimed to be doing, Cal/OSHA still determined that the company violated the law and failed to fulfill several essential safety responsibilities as an employer.
Cal/OSHA cited Amazon for failing to provide effective training to workers on COVID-19 hazards and prevention methods. Effective training is one of the foundations of workplace health and safety. Without training, safety policies often fail to take place in practice, leaving workers exposed to the dangers of this deadly disease.
These citations come on the heels of major revelations around Amazon’s approach to health and safety in its warehouses in the past week — Reveal News’ findings of extremely high injury rates in many warehouses, including the Eastvale LGB3 site. According to Amazon’s reports to Cal/OSHA, in both 2018 and 2019, there were over 18 recorded injuries per 100 workers, against an industry standard of four injuries per 100 workers.
We stand in solidarity with Amazon workers, who deserve protections and a safe workplace. It’s shameful that @JeffBezos made over $55 billion in 2020 while Amazon’s inadequate COVID-19 response endangered workers’ safety and the public health.
Read more:
- LA Times: “Amazon warehouses in Hawthorne and Eastvale are fined for coronavirus safety violations”
- LGB3 Cal/OSHA citations
- DLA8 Cal/OSHA citations
- Worker complaint filed at LGB3
- Worker complaint filed at DLA8
Take Action! Join Us in Standing with Amazon Workers
Candlelight Vigil Commemorating Essential Workers in the Time of COVID-19
Please register at our Facebook event page!
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 6-8pm
The Bezos Mansion
1801 Angelo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Social distancing and & mask-wearing will be observed