Working conditions and possible OSHA safety violations

   I was employed at Amazon from about August of 2011 through early 2013.  My place of employment was at XXXXXX working in the "pick" department.  My primary job was to pull product from the shelves for the entire shift for 8 hours up until 12 hours per shift.  My main issues working as a house employee at Amazon were two-fold: Working conditions and possible OSHA safety violations.  I will describe these conditions below during my one and a half years with Amazon.

     First, employees were required to show up prior to the shifts to obtain the very limited scanners and available for picking functions, and also line up up the time clock to ensure timely punching.  If punches were not made promptly, points would be assigned, therefore jeopardizing the workers employment.  Once shift began, we were requirement to pull products from the shelves for the first two hours until our assigned break.  We could not stop picking items until the bell rang for break without being reprimanded for doing so by one of the multiple supervisors monitoring the employees.  Once the bell for break would ring, we would stop our picking, empty our totes onto the conveyor, put our our carts, and then proceed to our break which would take approximately 4-5 minutes to arrive to the overcrowded break-room.   Once we finished our 5 minute break, it would take 5 minutes of our allotted 15 minute break to obtain our scanners, carts and totes to promptly begin work once again after this 15 minute period.  Hence, we would have 2 5-minute true breaks during the 8 hour shift.  Lunches would follow this pattern as well.  During a 30 minute lunch, we would have a true 20 minute break once putting away supplies, and arriving at our break place.  Hence, the typical employee would receive a total of 30 minutes rest in 8.5 hours.  On a side note, many employees would sit by the scanner rack during breaks to ensure timely return from breaks.

     Second, the safety issues at Amazon.com were abhorrent.  First, standards for picking were set high.     Minimum standards were set to pick approximately 1500 items per shift.  Per my research with a pedometer, this would put the average work at 15 miles of walking on the shift per day.  This would come up to approximately 75 miles weekly to avoid being written up per Amazon standards.  Employees were required to buy their own shoes for this amount of mileage with any offer or availability of compensation for these work supplies.

   During my time of work at Amazon, I incurred multiple injuries.  Due to the extreme walking, I was unable to walk after arriving home everyday to the the physical exertion.  My wife  would have to provide physical treatment and massage to my legs and feet daily in order for me to continue walking on a daily basis.  Please note, I am and was in excellent physical condition.  Next, I was hit with a large cart by an irresponsible employee during one shift during my stay at Amazon. It strained a tendon in my knee and I could not walk.  I was sent to the inhouse emergency room and provided ice 3 times daily for a 3 day period. Once this time expired, I was made to walk again without treatment during my shift, although injured.  After this, I had to ask if I could see one of their doctors (Amazon) for release as they would not allow me to see mine as I was advised.  I went to Amazons "3rd party" Dr, who examined me without X-ray in a 2 minute period and told me I was okay to work.  I was advised by this "Dr.", that it is an old track injury.  How could the Dr. assume this was an old injury without xray or thorough examination?  I then began to work again without treatment on my ailing leg, obtained of course during a work injury.

There are other small examples, but these are the main contributors during my time with Amazon.  It is unfortunate, and I write this to help others that are or were in my situation.  Please feel free to write me for further information.  I am more than happy to help.