Amazon’s UK warehouses have experienced over 1,400 ambulance callouts within the past five years, raising significant concerns about safety at the company’s facilities. Data obtained by the Observer reveals that these incidents, which were highlighted by the GMB trade union as “shocking,” include a variety of serious medical emergencies at Amazon’s sites across the country.
The Dunfermline and Bristol warehouses reported the highest numbers of callouts, with 161 and 125 incidents, respectively. A notable proportion of these calls involved life-threatening conditions. At the Dunfermline site, for instance, a third of ambulance callouts were related to chest pains, while other calls were for convulsions, strokes, and breathing problems. Amazon’s Mansfield warehouse also reported 84 ambulance callouts since 2019, with over 70% of these incidents categorized as the most severe, often involving heart attacks or strokes.
The data revealed instances of several serious incidents at Amazon facilities across the UK. These include:
- Attempted suicides and other severe psychiatric incidents, which occurred at several sites including Bolton, Chesterfield, Mansfield, Rugeley, and London.
- Medical emergencies related to pregnancies or miscarriages among workers on shift.
- Traumatic injuries, such as workers being badly electrocuted or suffering severe burns.
- Exposure to hazardous conditions, including acids and gases, which posed significant risks to workers’ health.
The information, which was compiled from freedom of information requests submitted to 12 ambulance services, covers over 30 Amazon sites. However, the data may underrepresent the actual number of incidents, as some locations did not have complete records. For example, the Coventry warehouse, which recently was the site of a narrowly defeated union recognition ballot, had incomplete data, raising questions about the full extent of medical emergencies at Amazon’s facilities.
Union Calls for Investigation into Amazon’s Practices
GMB union organizer Amanda Gearing, who was involved in the Coventry ballot, expressed concern over the findings, urging local authorities and the Health and Safety Executive to investigate Amazon’s working conditions. She claimed that Amazon workers are regularly pushed to their physical limits, driven by productivity targets not aligned with safe working practices. Gearing also alleged that first-aiders at Amazon sites are sometimes discouraged from calling ambulances, with a preference for using taxis instead.
In contrast to Amazon’s figures, a 2018 investigation by the GMB union found significantly fewer ambulance callouts at other warehouses. For example, a Tesco warehouse in Rugeley recorded only eight ambulance callouts over three years, compared to 115 at a nearby Amazon site, despite similar workforce sizes.
Martha Dark, director of the nonprofit organization Foxglove, which supports Amazon workers, criticized the company, stating that the high number of ambulance callouts reflects a disregard for health and safety. In response, Amazon denied that its workplaces are dangerous, asserting that safety is a top priority. The company also disputed claims that ambulances are not called when needed, emphasizing that emergency medical attention is always provided. According to Amazon, the figures are misleading due to the company’s large workforce, and the majority of ambulance callouts are related to pre-existing conditions rather than work-related incidents.
Amazon invited those interested in understanding the truth to tour its fulfillment centers, suggesting that the reality differs from the reported figures.
Featured Image courtesy of RONNY HARTMANN/AFP via Getty Images
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