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Is Amazon an accident waiting to happen?

[ June 14, 2016   //   ]

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed a $350,000 fine on Amazon for sending a leaking one-gallon container of corrosive by UPS. Moreover, it added, the online retailer has a history of violating the Hazardous Materials Regulations, totting up 24 other breaches of the rules from February 2013 to September 2015.

In the latest incident, the FAA alleges that on 15 October 2014, Amazon sent a package containing a one-gallon container of ‘Liquid Fire’ corrosive by air from Louisville, Kentucky, to Boulder, Colorado.

During transport, some of the Liquid Fire leaked through the fibreboard box. Nine UPS employees who came into contact with it reported a burning sensation and had to be treated with a chemical wash.

The FAA says that the shipment was not properly packaged, was not accompanied by a shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods and was not properly marked or labelled. Amazon also failed to provide emergency response information with the package, and its employees had not received required hazardous materials training.

Amazon has 30 days from receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.

FAA added that it is continuing to investigate Amazon’s compliance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations for air transport.

FBJ contacted Amazon’s press office for a response but had not received any answer at the time of publication.

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