In late 2014 Amazon shipped a product called “Amazing! LIQUID FIRE” by air and — as you might’ve guessed — it went terribly wrong.
The corrosive drain cleaner leaked, injuring nine UPS employees, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Amazon now faces a proposed fine of $350,000 for failing to properly mark the hazardous nature of the package or include emergency response information with the item. The FAA also notes that the Amazon employees who came into contact with the package did not have hazardous materials training.
The FAA says the latest incident is just one of 24 violations between 2013 and 2015. The penalty is the largest fine the FAA has ever tried to impose on Amazon, according to Reuters.
Without commenting on the specific incident, Amazon told Reuters in a statement that “we ship tens of millions of products every day and have developed sophisticated technologies to detect potential shipping hazards and use any defects as an opportunity for continuous improvement. We will continue to partner with the FAA in this area.”
In a press release, the FAA said it is “continuing to investigate Amazon’s compliance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations applicable to air transportation.”
