Surveilling Amazon’s warehouse workers: racism, retaliation, and worker resistance amid the pandemic

Drawing on insights from Cedric Robinson’s theory of racial capitalism, we analyse black and Latinx blue-collar warehouse workers’ concerns about health and safety in Amazon’s warehouses as well as their collective efforts to organise and improve working conditions during the pandemic. The pandemic increased the demand for home-delivered e-commerce, bringing Amazon’s (directly employed) global workforce to over 1.2 million workers and making Amazon the second largest company in the US. Amazon’s business model, particularly its Amazon Prime programme, has further driven consumer demand for expedited, free shipping. Amazon’s logistics system puts pressure on warehouse workers, who are electronically surveilled, to work very quickly, resulting in high rates of turnover and injury on the job. In the US, this workforce is not unionised and is disproportionately black and Latinx. Workers of colour are also leading workplace organising efforts in various cities in the United States. Our research combines information from in-depth interviews with current and former Amazon warehouse workers in Inland Southern California, one of the largest hubs of Amazon warehouses in the world. We also analyse interviews with leading high-profile current and former black Amazon warehouse worker activists across US cities, affiliated with the Congress of Essential Workers, Amazonians United Chicagoland, the Awood Center, and Bay Area Amazonians who have demanded improvements in their working and safety conditions and faced retaliation, disciplining and/or firing during the pandemic.

Effects of Sensor Types and Angular Velocity Computational Methods in Field Measurements of Occupational Upper Arm and Trunk Postures and Movements

Accelerometer-based inclinometers have dominated kinematic measurements in previous field studies, while the use of inertial measurement units that additionally include gyroscopes is rapidly increasing. Recent laboratory studies suggest that these two sensor types and the two commonly used angular velocity computational methods may produce substantially different results. The aim of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the effects of sensor types and angular velocity computational methods on the measures of work postures and movements in a real occupational setting. Half-workday recordings of arm and trunk postures, and movements from 38 warehouse workers were compared using two sensor types: accelerometers versus accelerometers with gyroscopes—and using two angular velocity computational methods, i.e., inclination velocity versus generalized velocity. The results showed an overall small difference (<2° and value independent) for posture percentiles between the two sensor types, but substantial differences in movement percentiles both between the sensor types and between the angular computational methods. For example, the group mean of the 50th percentiles were for accelerometers: 71°/s (generalized velocity) and 33°/s (inclination velocity)—and for accelerometers with gyroscopes: 31°/s (generalized velocity) and 16°/s (inclination velocity). The significant effects of sensor types and angular computational methods on angular velocity measures in field work are important in inter-study comparisons and in comparisons to recommended threshold limit values.

Presumed Exposure to Chemical Pollutants and Experienced Health Impacts among Warehouse Workers at Logistics Companies: A Cross-Sectional Survey

During intercontinental shipping, freight containers and other closed transport devices are applied. These closed spaces can be polluted with various harmful chemicals that may accumulate in poorly ventilated environments. The major pollutants are residues of pesticides used for fumigation as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from the goods. While handling cargos at logistics companies, workers can be exposed to these pollutants, frequently without adequate occupational health and safety precautions. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among potentially exposed warehouse workers and office workers as controls at Hungarian logistics companies (1) to investigate the health effects of chemical pollutants occurring in closed spaces of transportation and storage and (2) to collect information about the knowledge of and attitude toward workplace chemical exposures as well as the occupational health and safety precautions applied. Pre-existing medical conditions did not show any significant difference between the working groups. Numbness or heaviness in the arms and legs (AOR = 3.99; 95% CI = 1.72–9.26) and dry cough (AOR = 2.32; 95% CI = 1.09–4.93) were significantly associated with working in closed environments of transportation and storage, while forgetfulness (AOR = 0.40; 95% CI = 0.18–0.87), sleep disturbances (AOR = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.17–0.78), and tiredness after waking up (AOR = 0.40; 95% CI = 0.20–0.79) were significantly associated with employment in office. Warehouse workers who completed specific workplace health and safety training had more detailed knowledge related to this workplace chemical issue (AOR = 8.18; 95% CI = 3.47–19.27), and they were significantly more likely to use certain preventive measures. Warehouse workers involved in handling cargos at logistics companies may be exposed to different chemical pollutants, and the related health risks remain unknown if the presence of these chemicals is not recognized. Applied occupational health and safety measures at logistics companies are not adequate enough to manage this chemical safety issue, which warrants awareness raising and the introduction of effective preventive strategies to protect workers’ health at logistics companies.

ANALYSIS OF THE LAYOUT OF THE FINISHED GOODS WAREHOUSE USING THE SHARED STORAGE METHOD TO INCREASE STORAGE EFFECTIVENESS IN PT. NCS LOGISTIC LINK

PT NCS LOGISTIC LINK is a Transportation Management Service company or commonly called Freight Forwarding. PT. NCS is also engaged in the rental of Warehouses. In the Warehouse at PT NCS LOGISTIC LINK, there is a problem with the layout of the storage of goods in the Warehouse which is still not optimal because the cost of Material Handling in the company is still high and also PT NCS LOGISTIC LINK, a company that manages warehouse rental for companies manufacture. The problems faced by PT NCS LOGISTIC LINK today are the problems that are often faced is the handling of incoming and outgoing goods in the company's warehouse, the company still does not have a defined system, so that the placement of goods in the warehouse is not neatly arranged so that the warehouse seems narrow. Likewise, the warehouse line or line layout is not clear, the placement of finished goods for both export and local products is placed in one location with the material (Completely Knock Down / CKD) in one warehouse location, there is no barrier between the goods belonging to one customer and another. other things, goods are placed to close the road area or forklift lanes and warehouse doors, and goods that have entered earlier are closed with new incoming goods, thus hampering the process of handling goods. With limited storage space, companies are required to use space effectively and efficiently so that storage activities are not hampered and can find the best layout that is more effective and efficient and does not hamper the delivery process. The method used in warehousing management is a shared storage approach in which the products that have the most shipping frequency and the ones that frequently go in and out are brought close to the entrance to minimize the distance of material handling movement. The results of the shared storage approach can minimize the material handling distance of the proposed layout is 1386 m, while the previous condition, the initial layout distance was 1900 m. Has a total range of 514 meters of total mileage. This means that the layout of the proposal could shorten the mileage through which warehouse workers take goods.

Psychology of health and mental hygiene: Psychosocial risks, consequences, and possibilities of work stress prevention

The relevance of the study lies in the warning of burnout syndrome, which is currently the most frequently solved problem among workers. The study aimed to determine which of the most affected groups of workers is most endangered by psychosocial risk factors. The study aims to point out the issue of burnout syndrome and determine preventive steps to prevent burnout syndrome. The best-chosen method was a survey, which allowed getting as many results as possible. The questionnaire survey interviewed 80 respondents in 2018. The total number of relevant questionnaires used was 50. 11 questionnaires were from employees in the sales department, and 39 questionnaires from employees in the warehouse. Data from questionnaires were processed in Microsoft Excel 2017. Data from questionnaires were selected according to closed and open questions. Open-ended questions were evaluated by keywords. The results, as secondary data, also took into account the primary data. The results of the questionnaires provided a percentage overview of psychosocial stress factors among sales staff and warehouse workers. The results of the questionnaires also served as an incentive to provide measures against burnout syndrome.

Organization of Warehouse Accounting of Production Inventories at the Enterprise

The truthfulness and impartiality of all indicators, reflected in the financial statements, depend on the reliability and objectivity of the accounting of all business transactions, including those related to the movement of inventories in warehouses. The organization of warehousing is the choice and justification of the type and composition of warehouses, their location, size, equipment, as well as in the defined order of operation of warehouses, depending on the functions they perform. The purpose of the article is to study the order of organization of inventory and identify problems in its implementation in modern conditions. The definition of “warehouse” was analyzed in the context of logistics theory, the tasks of warehouses at the enterprise were revealed. Documentary support of accounting of operations with production stocks at all stages of the process of their circulation was systematized. It was found that in practice a significant number of domestic enterprises neglect the rational organization of warehousing, which in general affects the overall management of the enterprise. Achieving efficient use of stocks is possible only with proper organization of internal control over their use and movement. It is established that with the correct organization of warehousing is the establishment of close ties with the managers of the enterprise and the accounting department, which ultimately affects the efficiency of accounting. Warehouses should be located not in isolation, but in easily accessible places for the company, with good transport links, which is a necessary condition for ensuring the efficiency of the logistics chain. Hiring skilled warehouse workers is a guarantee of organized warehousing, which will ensure the effective performance of warehouse functions, as well as obtaining high profitability.

Trunk Flexion Monitoring among Warehouse Workers Using a Single Inertial Sensor and the Influence of Different Sampling Durations

Trunk flexion represents a risk factor for the onset of low-back disorders, yet limited quantitative data exist regarding flexion exposures in actual working conditions. In this study, we evaluated the potential of using a single inertial measurement unit (IMU) to classify trunk flexion, in terms of amplitude, frequency, and duration, and assessed the influence of alternative time durations on exposure results. Twelve warehouse workers were monitored during two hours of an actual shift while wearing a single IMU on their low back. Trunk flexion data were reduced using exposure variation analysis integrated with recommended exposure thresholds. Workers spent 5.1% of their working time with trunk flexion of 30–60° and 2.3% with flexion of 60–90°. Depending on the level of acceptable error, relatively shorter monitoring periods (up to 50 min) might be sufficient to characterize trunk flexion exposures. Future work is needed, however, to determine if these results generalize to other postural exposures and tasks.