The US Department of Labor announced on Tuesday (April 26) that it had sent a letter to Amazon urging the group to review its emergency procedures in the event of an extreme weather event after six employees were killed during a tornado. on December 10 in Illinois.

 Another employee was seriously injured when the roof of the Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, in this northern United States state, collapsed. Investigators from the Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration " determined that Amazon's extreme weather emergency procedures met minimum federal storm shelter safety guidelines. “Explains the ministry in a press release. 

Better protect workers and contractors

But the company must make improvements to further protect workers and contractors in the event of the occurrence of other events of the same magnitude. Workplace Safety Services does not have a standard requiring severe weather contingency plans, but recommends them under the general duty clause of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, " which requires employers to provide a workplace free from known hazards ,” the ministry adds.

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" These tragic deaths have sparked nationwide discussions about the vital need for comprehensive emergency plans ," Regional Administrator William Donovan said in the statement. " Employers should re-evaluate their contingency plans for the safest shelter-in-place locations and ... to ensure workers know where to go and how to protect themselves in the event of a disaster ," it said. -he adds.

In the letter, the administration recommends three specific areas for improvement for the Edwardsville warehouse: “ Ensure that all employees receive training and participate in emergency weather drills ”; “ include site-specific information in severe weather contingency plans ” and ensure easy access to horns. At least 79 people had died in the United States after several tornadoes struck on the night of December 10-11. Mayfield in Kentucky, a neighboring state of Illinois, was the epicenter of the disaster.