Amazon has been ordered to take measures, including regular hand washing, to protect its employees from the Covid 19 after an investigation on the Lauwin-Planque site (North), according to a letter from the Director of Hauts-de- France, of which AFP had a copy.
Read also: Amazon workers increasingly worried at work to deliver "massage oils and video games"
The American online commerce giant announced Friday that it will set up masks and temperature controls for its 13,000 French employees, ensuring "to go further " than what the government requests.
In a formal notice dated April 3, the Regional Directorate for Business, Competition, Consumption, Labor and Employment (Dirrecte) reports " a dangerous situation " on the Lauwin-Planque site , after an investigation by a labor inspector. The company has not put in place " appropriate " measures to " preserve the health of its employees ", as the law requires, according to this document.
This letter lists a series of shortcomings: " absence of organizational measures to ensure compliance with the rules of distancing when taking up a job, at the level of the badge reader ", impossibility of respecting the barrier measures at the " catering premises " , during " handling of locker rooms ", and on " production lines, due to the absence of regular disinfection of workstations ". He also notes the absence of measures allowing " to carry out a regular washing of the hands ".
This investigation came after a right of alert triggered by elected officials of the Economic and Social Council (CSE) of Amazon on March 17, according to this letter. On this site, dozens of employees have exercised their right of withdrawal, considering that they are faced with a serious and imminent danger.
Read also: Coronavirus: Amazon takes the temperature of its employees
The Director in particular gives notice to Amazon to " implement distance measures " so that employees are more than a meter away and are not " in close contact " and they can " wash their hands regularly " . It also requires " measures for cleaning and disinfecting work and sanitary rooms ". " We have applied from the start all the recommendations made by the government very strictly and gradually as they appear, " assured the director general of Amazon France on RTL Friday morning. Tuesday, the CGT filed a criminal complaint against Amazon for endangering the lives of others.
