An Amazon employee died at the company's PDX9 warehouse in Troutdale, Oregon, last week, according to a company spokesperson.
An investigative report from the Western Edge stated the worker collapsed on the warehouse floor, where they remained while other employees continued working.
Amazon spokesperson Sam Stephenson confirmed the death to TechCrunch. He expressed condolences to the family and noted that the company provided onsite grief counselors for the facility.
"We’ve been in particular in touch with his family and have provided resources to support them," Stephenson said. He also credited the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Department and local emergency services for their assistance.
Heat concerns at PDX9
Workers on a Reddit forum for Amazon fulfillment center employees suggested that recent installations of soundproof curtains have restricted airflow and increased temperatures inside the building.
Some employees speculated that extreme heat contributed to the death, noting that the facility felt noticeably cooler when they returned to work the following day.
Amazon stated that Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) determined the death was not work-related. The company sent employees home early and paid them for the remainder of their shifts.
This incident follows a history of safety scrutiny at the Troutdale site. A 2018 investigation by Reveal found that 26% of employees at the warehouse had sustained injuries.
Recent 2024 OSHA data indicates that Amazon fulfillment centers report serious injuries at more than double the industry average.
