Amazon's workplace safety chief to leave next month, internal memo says

Amazon's apical enforcement overseeing workplace wellness and information is leaving the institution adjacent month, CNBC has learned.

Heather MacDougall, who joined Amazon successful 2019 from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, is departing the institution connected Oct. 7, according to a memo that John Felton, Amazon's caput of operations, wrote to employees connected Monday.

"After gathering with america for implicit 3 years arsenic an important subordinate of our enactment team, Heather has decided to prosecute different opportunities extracurricular Amazon," Felton wrote successful the memo, which was viewed by CNBC. "I privation to convey her for her galore contributions, and I privation her good connected the adjacent measurement successful her journey."

An Amazon spokesperson confirmed MacDougall's departure.

MacDougall oversaw the wellness and information of Amazon's planetary workforce of 1.5 million-plus employees astatine a important period. In aboriginal 2020, arsenic Covid-19 was spreading rapidly, causing businesses and bureau buildings to temporarily shutter, Amazon's warehouse and transportation employees continued to study to enactment arsenic user request soared for accelerated delivery.

Employees criticized the company's coronavirus response, arguing it wasn't doing capable to support them connected the job, and Amazon has faced wide scrutiny implicit the wounded rates successful its warehouses. Workers, labour groups and lawmakers person complained that the institution prioritizes velocity implicit safety, which puts employees astatine a higher hazard of wounded than rivals. Workplace information concerns are 1 large impetus down the caller organizing wave astatine Amazon warehouses.

Amazon has disputed reports of unsafe moving conditions. During MacDougall's tenure, the institution acceptable ambitious goals to trim injuries, including a plan to chopped recordable incidental rates, an OSHA measurement covering wounded and illness, by fractional by 2025. Last twelvemonth Amazon committed to go "Earth's Best Employer," adding it to its database of firm values, adjacent arsenic labour unrest intensified.

Prior to her tenure astatine Amazon, MacDougall served 2 presumption arsenic the caput of the OSHRC, a national bureau charged with reviewing workplace wellness and information disputes betwixt employers and the Labor Department. She was appointed to pb the bureau by the Obama medication successful 2013.

MacDougall besides forged ties with high-profile information organizations to burnish Amazon's information image. In June 2021, Amazon and the National Safety Council announced a concern to people the simplification of sprains and strains commonly suffered by warehouse workers.

Becky Gansert, who serves arsenic vice president of planetary specialty fulfillment, volition regenerate MacDougall arsenic caput of planetary workplace wellness and safety. Gansert volition besides oversee Amazon's learning and development teams, which are charged with "improving the mundane experience" of warehouse and transportation workers, among different tasks.

"Safety and the wide subordinate acquisition are priorities that are intricately linked, and Becky is uniquely qualified to determination america guardant with both," Felton said.