Worker Injuries Rise During eCommerce Growth

Worker Safety in eCommerce: Key Insights

• Rising Injury Rates: The rapid surge in eCommerce has led to a troubling increase in serious worker injuries within the logistics industry, with injury rates in warehousing and delivery growing substantially faster than in other sectors from 2018 to 2022.

• Transportation Leads in Injury Incidents: Among private sectors, transportation and warehousing have the highest recorded rate of serious injuries, with 3.8 non-fatal incidents per 100 workers.

• Tech-Driven Pressure on Workers: According to the GAO, the rise in injuries is partly due to the use of real-time productivity monitoring technologies, which, while improving efficiency, also place significant physical and mental stress on workers.

The explosive growth in eCommerce has led to increased convenience for consumers, but a new report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reveals a worrying rise in worker injuries within the logistics sector. 

Between 2018 and 2022, the rate of serious injuries in warehousing and delivery grew significantly faster than in other industries, driven by demands to meet faster shipping times.

Rapid Growth, Rising Injuries 

The report highlights that as online shopping surged, employment in warehousing and delivery expanded by 60% and 41%, respectively. However, this growth has come at a cost: serious injuries in these sectors increased by 20% in warehousing and 23% in delivery, compared to just 6% in general industry.

In fact, transportation and warehousing has the highest estimated serious injury rate of any private sector:

• In terms of the rate of non-fatal injuries and illnesses per 100 workers, transportation and warehousing leads with 3.8.

• This is followed by the health care and social assistance sector with 2.7, while agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting has the same rate.

• Retail trade is fourth with a rate of 2.5, followed by arts, entertainment and recreation at 2.4.

Productivity Pressures Lead to Hazards 

A key factor driving the injury spike, according to the GAO, is the real-time monitoring of workers' productivity through technologies like handheld scanners. These systems, while enhancing operational efficiency, have also intensified pressure on workers. The report notes that many workers feel physically and mentally worn down, fearing job loss if they fail to meet high performance standards. 

As the logistics industry continues to expand in response to eCommerce demand, there is a growing need for improved safety measures to protect the workers who keep this critical sector running.

Sources: HuffPost, GAO, ECDB