Shocking! Amazon warehouse staff continue working as co-worker lies dead
What's the story
In a shocking incident, an Amazon employee died at work in Troutdale, Oregon. The man collapsed at the PDX9 warehouse and lay unattended for over an hour as other employees continued their work around him. He was 46 years old and is believed to have died on April 6. A company spokesperson confirmed the incident to TechCrunch.
Work continued
Employees ordered to keep working despite death
Witnesses say that employees were ordered to keep working for more than an hour after the worker collapsed. They kept fetching totes, picking items off shelves, and also loading packages onto trucks while the man's body lay on the floor. A supervisor allegedly told an employee who witnessed the incident, "Just turn around and not look. Let's get back to work."
Incident response
Workers express anxiety over returning to warehouse
Paramedics arrived at the facility after the worker had collapsed. The section of the warehouse where the incident occurred was closed off afterward. Employees have since expressed concerns over their health and safety at work, with one saying they have "a lot of anxiety over walking back into that building."
Company statement
Amazon responds to incident
Amazon has acknowledged the incident, with spokesperson Sam Stephenson saying they are "deeply saddened by the passing of a member of our team." He added that they have been in touch with the deceased employee's family and offered resources to support them. For employees at their PDX9 facility, on-site grief counselors and additional support have been provided.
Safety concerns
Incident raises concerns over safety conditions at Amazon warehouses
The incident has raised alarms over the safety conditions at Amazon's fulfillment centers. In 2018, an investigation by Reveal found that around 26% of employees at the PDX9 warehouse had been injured. A report based on 2024 data from Oregon's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revealed that Amazon's fulfillment centers record serious injuries at more than double the rate of other warehouses.