Amazon Is Backing Off Its Cell Phone Ban Amid Safety Concerns

After six workers died at anAmazon warehousein Illinois that was hit by a powerful crack cocaine on December 10 , the society is walking back its plans to reestablish a workplace forbiddance on cell phones .

According toBloomberg , sealed Amazon employee received a observation from the caller on Friday good afternoon informing them that personal cellphone speech sound will still be admit on the storage warehouse floor “ until further notice , ” a insurance policy that run contrary to the company ’s former commitment to restart the ban beginning in January 2022 .

Amazon did n’t explicitly say that the sharp reversal had been influence by the deadly tornado that defeat six worker after it ripped through the company ’s Edwardsville , Illinois , warehouse earlier this calendar month , partially flattening part of the construction as worker shelter in the bathroom and prompt anOSHA probe . But workers ’ safety concerns do seem to have played a part in influence the decisiveness . The announcement also comes amid a concerning spindle in Covid-19 event , mortal warehouse shootings , and a general uptick in conditions - interrelate tragedy — all upshot in which worker might reasonably ask their phones for up - to - the - arcminute alerts and central safety guidance .

Photo: SEBASTIEN BOZON / Contributor (Getty Images)

On Monday , a group of lawmaker led by Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representatives Cori Bush and Alexandria Ocasio - Cortezsent a letterto Amazon seeking reply regarding the circumstance skirt the deaths of its storage warehouse employees . The letter suppose that the cataclysm fit into “ a larger pattern : Amazon put worker safety at danger in everyday situations and emergencies alike . ”

Amazon has never had a stellar report for guard — or for manage about the well - being of its workers , for that topic — but a specially egregious lack of communicating during the twister in the beginning this month might have also played a role in get the ship’s company to walk back its jail cell phone prohibition . Recentlypublicized textbook messagesbetween one of Amazon ’s speech drivers and a dispatcher show that the equipment driver was repeatedly severalize to stay the line and finish their deliveries , despite the tornado siren yawl in the space .

“ If you decide to return with your packages , it will be viewed as you deny your route , which will ultimately end with you not give a occupation come tomorrow morning time , ” the dispatcher said during the exchange , to which the gadget driver responded , “ I ’m literally stuck in this damn van without a secure place to go with a tornado on the soil . ”

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