Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said warehouse worker safety was the company’s ‘priority number one’ – but didn’t address risks taken by delivery drivers to meet high demand
Mike Blake/Reuters
- CEO Andy Jassy stressed the company is working to improve warehouse safety conditions.
- For every 100 Amazon warehouse workers, about 6 were injured in 2020, per The Washington Post.
- Jassy did not address safety risks Amazon delivery drivers said they’ve taken to meet goals.
- See more stories on Insider’s business page.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy stressed the company’s commitment to warehouse worker safety during an interview with CNBC on Tuesday morning.
Jassy said 6,000 Amazon employees dedicate their jobs to improving safety in warehouses during an interview with CNBC anchor Jon Fortt. He added the company will spend $300 million in 2021 on employee safety in warehouses.
Jassy admitted the company can improve reducing workplace injuries, but said Amazon has made progress on employee safety.
“For us, employee safety is priority number one for us in our fulfillment centers,” Jassy said.
For every 100 Amazon warehouse workers, about 6 were injured in 2020, per a recent analysis from The Washington Post.
Amazon’s rate of injury is more than double that in Walmart warehouses, and injury rates at US fulfillment centers have increased every year between 2016 to 2019.
The firm previously announced part of the $300 million will go towards programs supporting employee mental health, physical fitness, and nutrition.
Jassy did not comment on risks taken by delivery drivers during the CNBC interview, and said the $300 million investment extends to fulfillment center workers.
Amazon recently came under fire for denying that Amazon delivery drivers pee in water bottles due to rigid time constraints on the job.
-Amazon News (@amazonnews) March 25, 2021
Amazon drivers told Insider they’ve taken safety risks like speeding and changing menstrual pads while driving due to the lack of breaks on the job. CNBC reported private delivery companies contracted by Amazon told workers to ignore safety risks like damaged seatbelts and broken mirrors.
A company spokesperson later said the tweet was “incorrect,” and clarified fulfillment center workers can use the bathroom at any time.
Amazon was not immediately available for comment.
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