On October 18, 2024, Amazon.com, the Amazon app, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) experienced a significant outage that affected users across the United States. Reports of the outage peaked at 230 times the normal volume by 8:30 p.m. EDT, with customers in major cities like New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Seattle, and Los Angeles experiencing difficulties accessing their accounts and missing order histories. AWS reports also surged, peaking at 16 times the normal volume at 9:03 p.m. This disruption comes at a time when Amazon is already under scrutiny for the safety of its warehouse workers, particularly during high-pressure periods like Prime Day and the holiday season [71e815f0].
A recent US Senate investigation highlighted that Amazon's warehouses are particularly hazardous for workers during these peak times. The investigation revealed that the intense pressure to meet high demands leads to long hours and a disregard for safety protocols. Internal data from Amazon indicated that during Prime Day 2019, the rate of 'recordable' injuries exceeded 10 per 100 workers, more than double the average in the US warehousing and storage industry. Amazon's overall injury rate, including unreported injuries, was just under 45 per 100 workers. In response to the Senate report, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel disputed the total injury rate and emphasized the company's efforts to improve safety standards. The combination of the recent outage and ongoing safety concerns paints a challenging picture for Amazon as it navigates operational pressures and public scrutiny [cb5a8e85].