Though the e-commerce giant had previously relaxed its strict rules prohibiting phones on the warehouse floor during the pandemic, Bloomberg reported that it has been gradually reintroducing the ban across the country. Amazon initially revoked the protocol to allow employees to contact loved ones or health care providers in the event of an emergency.
However, as the ban returns to Amazon locations, several employees told Bloomberg that they are once again questioning the policy and fearing for their safety following the Friday collapse of an Edwardsville, Illinois, warehouse, which killed at least six workers and left an unknown number missing.
When severe storms hit the region, a wall the size of a football field and the roof above it collapsed at the warehouse, trapping an unknown number of Amazon employees among the rubble, according to Edwardsville officials.
According to Edwardsville fire chief James Whiteford, rescue crews were dispatched immediately to the scene, where one worker was airlifted to a nearby hospital and 45 employees were evacuated from the ruins. Whiteford anticipates that the recovery effort will last another three days.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said on Sunday that he feared at least 80 people were killed in the tornadoes, but that the death toll could exceed 100. Storms ripped through parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri, in addition to Illinois and Kentucky.
According to Amazon employees who spoke to Bloomberg, the ban on phones would leave them unable to quickly call for help or access information about impending storms or other dangerous conditions that could put them in danger.
"After these deaths, there is no way in hell I'm relying on Amazon to keep me safe," an Amazon employee from a nearby Illinois facility told Bloomberg. "I'm resigning if they implement the no-cell phone policy."
"Everyone is definitely afraid of not being able to keep their phones on them after this," another worker told Bloomberg. "Most employees I've talked to don't keep their phones on them throughout the day for personal conversation; it's genuinely for situations like this."
Warehouse Workers for Justice, an organization that works to organize Amazon workers in Illinois, issued a statement urging state lawmakers to hold a hearing to ensure that all facilities "are places of safety for workers and that no family has to worry whether or not their loved ones will make it home from work after an extreme weather event."
"While natural disasters are beyond our control, Amazon's preparedness and safety protocols are," said Warehouse Workers for Justice in a statement.
Amazon did not respond immediately to Insider's request for comment on the phone ban and whether it plans to change the policy. A representative for Amazon said in a statement yesterday that the company was "deeply saddened by the news" of the Illinois warehouse.
"Our hearts go out to the victims, their loved ones, and everyone affected by the storm," an Amazon representative said. "We would also like to thank all of the first responders for their ongoing efforts on the scene."
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said on Twitter on Saturday night that he was "heartbroken over the loss," responding to criticism that he had been slow to respond to the tragedy. Earlier in the day, Bezos posted an Instagram photo with the Blue Origin space crew, who will be the next team to board the New Shepard rocket.
"Everyone in Edwardsville should know that the Amazon team is committed to supporting them and will be by their side throughout this crisis," Bezos tweeted. "We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of the incredible first responders who have worked so tirelessly at the site."