Senatoren maken zich zorgen om hygiëne dc’s Amazon

Amerikaanse senatoren maken zich zorgen om de hygiëne in de distributiecentra van Amazon. Onder meer Cory Booker, Robert Menendez en presidentskandidaat Bernie Sanders beweren dat er onvoldoende disinfectiemiddelen zijn in de magazijnen van de retailer. Amazon spreekt deze berichten overigens tegen.

De retailer kampt met enorme drukt nu veel Amerikanen van huis werken of gedwongen thuis moeten blijven. Tijdelijk moeten 100.000 extra werknemers worden aangesteld. Daardoor zijn de dc’s in de ogen van sommige senatoren potentiële brandhaarden voor infectieziekten.

Amazon zegt dat de hygiëne is verscherpt. Personeel heeft extra tijd gekregen om handen te wassen.

In een interne memo liet Amazon baas Jeff Bezos zaterdag weten dat zijn aandacht volledig gericht zal zijn op de impact van COVID 19 en de rol die het bedrijf daarin kan spelen.

Dear Amazonians,
This isn’t business as usual, and it’s a time of great stress and uncertainty. It’s also a moment in time when the work we’re doing is its most critical.
We’ve changed our logistics, transportation, supply chain, purchasing, and third party seller processes to prioritize stocking and delivering essential items like household staples, sanitizers, baby formula, and medical supplies. We’re providing a vital service to people everywhere, especially to those, like the elderly, who are most vulnerable. People are depending on us.
I’m not alone in being grateful for the work you are doing. I’ve received hundreds of emails from customers and seen posts on social media thanking you all. Your efforts are being noticed at the highest levels of government, and President Trump earlier this week thanked this team profusely.
Across the world, people are feeling the economic effects of this crisis, and I’m sad to tell you I predict things are going to get worse before they get better. We’re hiring for 100,000 new roles and raising wages for our hourly workers who are fulfilling orders and delivering to customers during this period of stress and turmoil. At the same time, other businesses like restaurants and bars are being forced to shut their doors. We hope people who’ve been laid off will come work with us until they’re able to go back to the jobs they had.
Much of the essential work we do cannot be done from home. We’ve implemented a series of preventative health measures for employees and contractors at our sites around the world — everything from increasing the frequency and intensity of cleaning to adjusting our practices in fulfillment centers to ensure the recommended social distancing guidelines. We are meeting every day, working to identify additional ways to improve on these measures.
We’ve placed purchase orders for millions of face masks we want to give to our employees and contractors who cannot work from home, but very few of those orders have been filled. Masks remain in short supply globally and are at this point being directed by governments to the highest-need facilities like hospitals and clinics. It’s easy to understand why the incredible medical providers serving our communities need to be first in line. When our turn for masks comes, our first priority will be getting them in the hands of our employees and partners working to get essential products to people.
My own time and thinking is now wholly focused on COVID-19 and on how Amazon can best play its role. I want you to know Amazon will continue to do its part, and we won’t stop looking for new opportunities to help.
There is no instruction manual for how to feel at a time like this, and I know this causes stress for everyone. My list of worries right now — like yours I’m sure — is long: from my own children, parents, family, friends, to the safety of you, my colleagues, to those who are already very sick, and to the real harm that will be caused by the economic fallout across our communities.
Please take care of yourselves and your loved ones. I know that we’re going to get through this, together.
Jeff