Amazon prides itself on being both a consumer and employee-driven company. One of the most important components of Amazon’s focus on its customers and employees is securing everyone’s safety.
In order to ensure the company is running as safely as possible, in Amazon training, the management often asks its employees: What will you do to keep Amazon safe?
Best Answers to “What Will You Do to Keep Amazon Safe?”
The best answers to “What will you do to keep Amazon safe” asked at Amazon orientation are:
- I will abide by all safety regulations
- I will notify management of any unsafe situations
- I will help to create a safe work environment
- I will use my safety training to the best of my abilities
- Safety is my top priority
In this article, we are going to go through the 5 best answers to the question, as well as what happens if you do give a bad answer, what Amazon is doing to keep its warehouse employees safe, and everything else there is to know about safety at Amazon.
1. I Will Abide by All Safety Regulations
Amazon training is intensive, and no matter what position you hold at Amazon, you will learn the detailed safety regulations of your specific work environment.
By answering, “I will abide by all safety regulations,” you are proving to the management that you have learned and will be attentive to the particular safety rules you learned during the training.
In order to make this answer truly great, you should list at least a few of the safety regulations you know that apply to your position.
It is also helpful to explain common safety violations that may occur and how you will respond when you notice them.
2. I Will Notify Management of any Unsafe Situations
If there is ever a question as to whether or not something that is happening around your workstation is unsafe, you should always notify management or the health and safety team immediately.
When you answer the question with “I will notify management of any unsafe situations,” you will show your superiors that you understand it is your duty to report any unsafe activity immediately.
You should also add to this answer that you know what types of situations would warrant reaching out to management. Specifics are essential in ensuring you give the best possible answer to Amazon’s safety question.
3. I Will Help to Create a Safe Work Environment
Being a team player is extremely important to Amazon. When you are asked the question, “What will you do to keep Amazon Safe,” answering with your fellow employees in mind says great things about you, and it can ensure you either get hired or keep your job at Amazon.
That is why one of the best answers is, “I will help to create a safe work environment.” It shows that you do not only care about your own safety but also of the others around you.
Once again, it is vital that you give examples of how you will actually help to create a safe work environment that is particular to your specific job in order to actually impress the management.
4. I Will Use my Safety Training to the Best of My Abilities
At all Amazon orientations, all employees receive extensive safety training, and Amazon expects you to remember the details of the training even after you start working.
When you answer Amazon’s safety question, you should start with “I will use my safety training to the best of my abilities,” but only if you can give instances that you remember from your training will it be considered a great answer.
A great way to show you fully understand the training is to give examples of how you will prevent accidents, minimize hazards, and avoid policy violations.
5. Safety Is My Top Priority
If you work for Amazon, you probably already know that security and safety are top priorities for the company. By telling them safety is also your top priority, you can portray that you are dedicated to the same concerns that Amazon is.
When you answer with “safety is my top priority,” you should also cite times in which you have noticed unsafe situations at work, examples of when you have alerted management about a safety issue, or instances of safety concerns you remember from your training.
What Makes a Good Answer?
It is important to understand that all of these answers have one thing in common: They show that you understand that safety is important and that you give specific examples of ways you will keep yourself and your fellow employees safe.
The best way to give a good answer is to use real-life experiences or precise regulations you learned in your training.
Here are a few examples of possible safety issues that you can cite in your answer:
- Ensuring everyone wears the required personal protective equipment.
- Following the specific workplace procedures for your workstation (you should know what they are.)
- Following warnings and posted signs.
- Remembering the details of your safety training.
- Checking to make sure all equipment and tools are operating safely.
As well you can use examples of things that could go wrong in the warehouse (such as the ones listed below) and explain how you would handle them.
- Chemical hazards or spills.
- Electronic hazards and machine malfunctions.
- Physical injuries from lifting or overuse of muscles.
- Slips or trips due to clutter or wet surfaces.
Once again, the more you show that you know how to keep yourself and others safe, the better your answer will be.
What Happens if You Give a Bad Answer?
Now that you know the 5 best answers to Amazon’s common question, “What will you do to keep Amazon safe,” you may be wondering: What happens if you give a bad answer?
Some of us really struggle to answer questions thoughtfully and carefully when being interviewed, so even if you do your research and memorize the best answers, it could still happen that you give a technically bad answer when your manager asks this question.
While there is little risk that you will either be not hired or, if you are already employed at Amazon, fired from Amazon by giving a bad answer to this question, if management is already on the fence about your employment, it could be a negative tipping point.
The bottom line is that answering Amazon’s safety question poorly is not enough to actually get you in trouble, but if you are already not Amazon’s favorite candidate, it may put you at the bottom of the pile or lead to termination.
Although it may seem extreme that just one question could affect your potential or current employment at Amazon, it is important to remember that safety is Amazon’s top priority and that this question is one of the ways they ensure every employee both understands and adheres to the safety regulations of the job.
What Does Safety at Amazon Do?
While Amazon does its very best to train every employee to be aware of safety rules, there is a specific Amazon Safety team whose sole occupation is making sure all Amazon locations and employees are as safe and healthy as possible.
Amazon states that “[t]he global Workplace Health and Safety team at Amazon is responsible for maintaining, developing and implementing the highest standards of safety and well-being in the workplace for all our employees.”
In every Amazon fulfillment center and warehouse, there are employees dedicated to the health and safety of the environment and the staff. This team can include occupational doctors, occupational nurses, health managers, and WHS (Workplace Health and Safety) managers, coordinators, and specialists.
This is simply another way in which Amazon is proving its dedication to safety is not just talk but action as well.
Common Safety Violations at Amazon Warehouse
Amazon certainly works hard to keep its employees as safe as they can be; however, Amazon warehouses are extremely large and busy places. Even with safety training for all employees and a Workplace Health and Safety team in place, there are still unsafe situations that can occur.
Here are the most common safety violations at Amazon warehouses:
- Failing to wear personal protective gear and equipment.
- Abandoning safe work procedures.
- Not following posted signs and warnings.
- Disregarding safety training.
- Possessing unsafe tools or equipment.
These, of course, are great examples to use when answering Amazon’s safety question, but more importantly, you should be aware of the common safety violations so that you and your fellow employees stay safe while at work.
If you notice one of these violations is occurring near you, it is your duty as an Amazon employee to alert the Workplace Health and Safety team or your manager or supervisor immediately.
Conclusion
When answering Amazon’s common question, “What will you do to keep Amazon safe,” the best possible answer is a detailed one that shows Amazon you understand the safety regulations you learned in training, as well as what to do if a safety violation occurs.
