Living in Chicagoland, the chances are that you, or someone you know, works for Amazon. Why? Amazon is reportedly employing more people in Chicago than any other company. And that’s saying something, since Chicago’s economy is greater than that of many countries. From the latest City of Chicago economic report: “…[t]he total economic output of Chicago exceeds the total economic output of Switzerland … [with] one of the largest GDPs in the world.” Read, State Of The Economy – Chicago, published by the Council Office of Financial Analysis of the City of Chicago on June 20, 2023.
Of course, Amazon’s Chicago area workers can view this as good news for steady employment in volatile economic times. Business boomed for the e-commerce empire during the pandemic and things appear to be even better today, as Amazon adapts to changing times. One particular strategy for greater profits that boosts Chicago employment: the company’s reported focus on building its regional facilities. More and more regional Amazon facilities are popping up in the Chicago metro area. Read, “Amazon Cites Warehouse Changes in Tripling Profit, Slashing Shipping Costs,” written by Randyl Drummer and published by Costar on October 26, 2023.
Unfortunately, Chicago workers on the Amazon payroll must balance the security of a solid employer with the growing dangers many Amazon workers face of being hurt on the job. The dangers are varied, depending not only upon the tasks involved but also upon the location of the worksite.
Dangerous On-the-Job Accidents for Amazon Workers in Chicagoland
Amazon workers on Chicago roadways entrusted with delivering products to customers are at risk of being hurt or killed while on the road. Amazon warehouse workers face a different set of risks that are also disturbingly high for bodily injuries on the job. Warehouse hazards vary from industrial truck (forklift) accidents to fall injuries or struck-by and crushing incidents.
For more on warehouse injuries, read:
- Warehouse Accidents: Workers in One of the Deadliest Jobs in Indiana and Illinois
- Five Deadly Workplace Dangers in Warehousing and Industrial Storage Facilities
- Fatal Industrial Warehouse Accidents in Indiana and Illinois.
Chicago Amazon Warehouse Worker Risks of Accident Injuries
Warehouse workers in Chicagoland’s Amazon facilities are facing an unacceptably high risk of being seriously hurt on the job. One news analysis of data provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reveals that “…[s]erious injury rates at most Chicago-area Amazon warehouses are double the statewide average,” with some facilities (such as Skokie, Country Club Hills, and University Park) even higher. Read, “Amazon Warehouse Workers Near Chicago Are Injured At Above-Average Rates. Will New West Side Center Be Safer?” written by Pascal Sabino and published by Block Club Chicago on October 3, 2023.
Amazon Speedy Service and Surveillance of Workers Increasing Risk of Injury
One study warns that Amazon’s dedication to faster and faster delivery times alongside the company’s infatuation with constant monitoring its workers on the job is serving to create a work environment that endangers Amazon workers in Amazon warehouses or “fulfillment centers.” Read, “Amazon’s focus on speed, surveillance drives higher warehouse worker injuries, study finds,“ written by Annie Palmer and published by CNBC on October 25, 2023; and Gutelius, B. and Pinto, S. (2023). Pain Points: Data on Work Intensity, Monitoring, and Health at Amazon Warehouses. Center for Urban Economic Development, University of Illinois Chicago.
Federal Investigations into Amazon Warehouse Dangers by OSHA and Justice Department
The dangers facing workers in Amazon warehouses have been subject to a federal investigation by the United States Department of Justice instituted out of the Southern District of New York. OSHA is also targeting Amazon warehouses for safety violation concerns. Read, “Amazon’s worker safety hazards come under fire from regulators and the DOJ,” written by Katie Tarasov and published by CNBC on April 15, 2023.
- Also see: Amazon Warehouse Workers: Risk of Severe Bodily Injury or Death on the Job as OSHA Investigations Continue and Local Amazon Warehouses Under Federal Investigation for Both Worker Dangers and Fraudulent Conduct.
Amazon Drivers Face Deadly Dangers in Delivery Work
Unacceptably high risks of being seriously hurt or killed on the job also face Amazon workers who are tasked with delivery and distribution of Amazon products. The risks of driving an Amazon truck or van are numerous.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
There are always the risks of a severe or catastrophic motor vehicle accident for any Amazon driver. The pressure to meet deadlines and get packages within the Amazon “one day delivery” promise may contribute to these risks.
For Amazon workers, crashes involving Amazon vehicles can be complicated because in many instances Amazon has contracted with another company to own and operate the delivery trucks as well as officially hiring the drivers.
Even if the Amazon logo is on the vehicle with Amazon products as its cargo, Amazon may deny legal liability for that truck and any injuries sustained by the driver or others involved in an accident. Read, “Who is really delivering your packages? Crashes involving Amazon deliveries create confusion,” written by Susan Hogan, Rick Yarborough, Steve Jones, Carols Olazagasti and Lance Ing and published by NBCWashington on March 5, 2024.
Criminal Acts and Intentional Harm
Another risk facing Amazon drivers comes from the risk of delivering goods while working alone. Amazon drivers face dangers like being attacked by dogs when trying to drop off Amazon packages at a doorstep. See, for example, “Amazon worker found dead in yard after suspected mauling by 2 dogs,” written by Jon Haworth and published by ABCNews on October 26, 2022; and “ ‘I pulled my sock down and saw blood’: drivers for Amazon in US complain of dog attacks,” written by Wilfred Chan and published by The Guardian on September 28, 2023.
There is also the threat of being assaulted or robbed while on the job. Stealing Amazon trucks from drivers has occurred on several occasions in the Chicago area (e.g., University Village; Irving Park; Lakeview). Even more serious are the instances where the Amazon driver is not unharmed, but suffers serious bodily injury while on the job. Amazon drivers in Chicagoland have been stabbed and shot while delivering packages for Amazon. For more, read “Delivering in the Dark, Amazon’s Gig Drivers Face Guns and Death,” written by Theo Wayt and published by The Information on September 6, 2023.
Claims for Justice for Amazon Workers Hurt on the Job in Chicago
Lots of people work for Amazon in Chicago, and in all likelihood even more Chicagoans and those living and working in the extended Chicago Metro Area will be getting a paycheck from Amazon in the coming years. Amazon’s regional focus, where fulfillment centers (warehouses and distribution points) are placed around the country rather than in a centralized location, helps to boost employment here.
However, anyone working for Amazon as well as their loved ones must be alerted to the risks that come with affiliation with Amazon. Working in warehouse environments is known to be dangerous, regardless of the employer. Warehouse sites are notorious for injuries that include:
- Forklift accidents
- Falls
- Exposure to hazardous materials or toxins
- Caught in-between or crushing accidents (especially on loading docks).
For more, read: Forklift Accidents: Employer’s Duty to Keep Workers Safe in Indiana and Illinois; Housekeeping in Warehouses: Work Accident Dangers in Illinois and Indiana; and Loading Docks Are Dangerous: Dock Worker Accidents in Indiana and Illinois.
Furthermore, delivering Amazon products can be very dangerous for delivery drivers. While they operate under Amazon’s banner, responsibility for their injuries may be denied by the company under a legal twist where Amazon contracts with third-party companies. Criminal acts are a real risk for these workers and their injuries should be investigated for legal liabilities. See, Crime Victims and Personal Injury Claims: Prosecutors Are Not Injury Lawyers Helping With Victim’s Injuries.
Those working for Amazon here in Chicago can face serious injuries including blunt force trauma; amputation; traumatic brain injury; internal injuries to organs or nervous system; or even death. Chicago workers are protected by law from being hurt on the job and any Amazon work accident may be independently investigated by that worker for breaches in legal duties of safety and care by Amazon and related third parties.
For more, read:
- Wrongful Death Damages After Fatal Work Accidents in Illinois or Indiana
- Traumatic Amputations in Industrial Accidents
- Work-Related Traumatic Brain Injury (WR-TBI) Dangers Facing Industrial Workers in Illinois and Indiana
- Workers’ Compensation and Third-Party Claims for On-the-Job Accidents
- Course and Scope of Employment: Industrial Accidents in Illinois and Indiana
- Industrial Lone Workers: Accident Dangers When Working Alone.
Working for Amazon in Chicago is recognized by federal regulators, safety agencies, and those advocating for worker victims and their loved ones as being shockingly dangerous. Please be careful out there!
