Amazon to pay OSHA $145,000 in workplace safety settlement

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has reached a settlement with Amazon over alleged hazardous workplace conditions at ten of the tech giant’s facilities. Under the terms of the settlement, Amazon will pay a $145,000 penalty and implement “corporation-wide ergonomic measures” to reduce the risk of injury to workers. OSHA will continue to inspect facilities for the next two years. On the government side of the deal, it’s OSHA withdrawing nine out of ten ergonomic citations against the company.

Ergonomic injuries are also known as musculoskeletal disorders. These may include sprains and strains at work.

A representative of the Department of Labor said ABC News that this settlement is “the largest of its kind” and will “resolve all outstanding ergonomic lawsuits” against Amazon. However, it will not affect a separate investigation into Amazon concealing workplace injuries currently underway by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Amazon has denied the allegations.

Amazon workers were also in the news this week, with strikes at several facilities in California, Georgia, Illinois and New York. The effort was organized by Teamsters union members, and voted on by various union chapters to take measures against the company. The Teamsters called on Amazon to negotiate over working conditions, wages and benefits, and asked the company to agree on a Dec. 15 date for contract negotiations. The Gate of Hell In Queens, NY, they filmed the first day of the strike, showing local police breaking up a peaceful picket line. barricaded to allow contractors to enter and exit the Amazon distribution center.

“If your package is delayed over the holidays, you can blame it on Amazon’s insatiable greed,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. from the organization “We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and make it right for our members. They ignored it.”