Amazon faces scrutiny over worker safety after tornado strikes warehouse

Questions over worker safety at Amazon are intensifying once again after a tornado struck an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, on Friday, leaving six people dead and another hospitalized.

On Monday, the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration said it had opened a workplace safety investigation into the warehouse collapse. Meanwhile, workers and activists are calling for more action.

Speaking to the Intercept on Monday, 12 Amazon workers described concerns over workplace safety. Some said they had never experienced a tornado or fire drill on the job, and several said they would be uncertain of what to do in an emergency.

Amazon said workers at the warehouse had little time to prepare when the National Weather Service declared a tornado warning on Friday night. The tornado arrived soon after, collapsing both sides of the warehouse and caving in its roof.

An Amazon spokesperson, Kelly Nantel, said the warehouse received tornado warnings between 8.06pm and 8.16pm on Friday and site leaders directed workers to immediately take shelter. At 8.27pm, the tornado struck the building.

Amazon has pledged to assist workers and their families affected by the tragedy, including donating $1m to the Edwardsville Community Foundation. The company declined to answer questions on Monday about its disaster plans at the plant, including whether employees were required to perform drills.

Ceniceros said as extreme weather intensifies due to the climate crisis, hange, workers are investigating how to protect themselves and hold corporations accountable.