Two days after Amazon confirmed the death of an employee at a fulfilment centre in Troutdale, Oregon, United States, the firm on Wednesday responded to reports claiming that operations continued while the employee’s body lay on the floor, calling them “misinformation”.
"We’d like to respond to misinformation circulating about a tragic incident that occurred at our PDX9 facility in Troutdale, OR. Sadly, one of our teammates collapsed during his shift from what we now understand as a pre-existing medical issue. When our onsite team was notified, three CPR certified team members, including two from our on-site safety team, provided CPR and deployed an automated defibrillator until emergency medical services (EMS) arrived shortly after," Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel told Hindustan Times.
She added that the area was immediately evacuated and teams were sent home "with full pay" for the rest of the day.
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"The area where the incident occurred was cordoned off while our safety teams and EMS cared for our employee, which was their top priority. Nothing is more important than the safety of our employees, and our team focused on ensuring our employee received the care he needed, protecting his privacy, and ensuring the safety of everyone onsite instead of distracting from those efforts by focusing on immediately evacuating other areas of the building in those early moments. Shortly after this event occurred, employees were sent home with pay for the rest of the day."
{{/usCountry}}"The area where the incident occurred was cordoned off while our safety teams and EMS cared for our employee, which was their top priority. Nothing is more important than the safety of our employees, and our team focused on ensuring our employee received the care he needed, protecting his privacy, and ensuring the safety of everyone onsite instead of distracting from those efforts by focusing on immediately evacuating other areas of the building in those early moments. Shortly after this event occurred, employees were sent home with pay for the rest of the day."
{{/usCountry}}Nantel also shared that any employee who asked for time off, a day after the incident, was given so, adding that grief counsellors were provided to those who needed them.
“When we resumed operations the following day, any employee who requested time off was given that time, and onsite grief counselors were provided to anybody who chose to come to work and needed them. We’ve been in touch with our teammate’s family and are providing them resources during this incredibly difficult time, and we’re mourning the loss of a valued member of our team.”
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She also expressed gratitude to the emergency services and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Department for their support.
What had happened?
An employee at an Amazon fulfilment centre in Troutdale, Oregon, United States died on Monday while still on duty, as reported by Tech Crunch. The employee, reportedly, had collapsed on the floor. Some reports said that work inside the facility continued even after the individual had collapsed, a claim refuted by the firm.
Amazon issued a statement after the incident, saying the company was "deeply saddened by the passing of a member of our team."
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“We’re deeply saddened by the passing of a member of our team, and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with their loved ones during this difficult time,” Amazon spokesperson Sam Stephenson had said.
Online posts by individuals claiming to work at the facility suggested that conditions inside the building had been unusually warm. Some workers also attributed this to the installation of soundproof curtains, which they said may have reduced airflow and speculated that heat could have added to the physical demands of the job.
The company, however, denied the claims, saying that the Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reviewed the case and determined that the death was not related to workplace conditions.