The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has reached a comprehensive settlement with Amazon addressing workplace safety concerns across multiple facilities nationwide. The agreement covers 10 facilities located in New York, Florida, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Illinois, and New Jersey, which previously had high numbers of workplace injury complaints. Under the settlement, Amazon will pay a $145,000 penalty and implement corporate-wide ergonomic measures designed to reduce worker injury risks. This landmark agreement represents the largest of its kind, mandating Amazon to adopt extensive safety protocols that will impact hundreds of thousands of workers across its operational network.

The settlement requires Amazon to conduct systematic evaluations of ergonomic risks throughout its facilities, including annual assessments and proactive risk mitigation strategies. OSHA specifically highlighted concerns about workers' joint and tissue injuries related to lifting speeds, physical movements, and product weights. Amazon will be obligated to implement pilot programs addressing these risks and establish procedures allowing employees to voice workplace safety concerns. The agreement covers all Amazon fulfillment centers, sortation centers, and delivery stations within OSHA's jurisdiction, creating a comprehensive approach to workplace safety management.

Amazon will introduce several key safety interventions, including adjustable height workstations, ergonomic mats, specialized harnesses, and job rotation practices. The company must establish a formal process to review and promptly correct potential workplace hazards identified by employees. While some policies are already in place at select facilities, the settlement mandates a more structured and consistent approach across all locations. Notably, for the Illinois facility handling large items like televisions and furniture, Amazon must appoint a specific official to oversee safety concerns related to employee movements during work.

The settlement arrives amid ongoing labor disputes and unionization efforts within Amazon's workforce. Worker advocates and unions have long criticized the company's alleged production quotas and working conditions that potentially compromise employee safety. Amazon maintains that it has invested billions in worker safety and does not impose restrictive quotas. The OSHA agreement does not affect a separate federal investigation by prosecutors in New York into potential concealment of injury rates and safety hazards. Coincidentally, the settlement was announced on the same day workers at seven Amazon facilities staged walkouts to protest what they perceive as unfair treatment. OSHA's Assistant Secretary Douglas Parker emphasized that the responsibility now lies with Amazon to implement and maintain these critical safety measures.