OSHA investigating Amazon warehouses in three states

Acting on the referrals, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating workplace safety issues at Amazon.com Inc. facilities in New York, Illinois and Florida, an OSHA spokeswoman said Tuesday.

The agency “routinely receive(s) referrals from various federal agencies, law enforcement, advocacy groups and others” and says one latest investigation in New York was spurred by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York regarding “several facilities” in New York. 

Amazon has come under fire in recent years for alleged unsafe conditions in its warehouses. According to a statement issued Monday by the U.S. District Attorney’s office in New York, officials say “injuries resulting from workplace hazards, worker rate requirements and the pace of work, and whether Amazon appropriately reported on-the-job injuries” are among the concerns there.

Because these are “active investigations,” OSHA is unable to provide more information, according to the spokeswoman.

An Amazon spokeswoman on Wednesday said the company is cooperating with OSHA. “We believe it will ultimately show that these concerns are unfounded,” she said.