Amazon warehouse dundee
There have been 440 accidents at firm's UK sites since 2015 alone, according to Freedom of Information data.

STAFF at an Amazon warehouse have been forced to work in sub-zero conditions, according to shocking claims revealed today.

Workers at the facility in Dundee had to fill out orders for the US retail giant in conditions around 3C - which then fell below 0C overnight, it is alleged.

Health and Safety Executive advice states that warehouses should be around 13C.

Amazon
It comes as trade union GMB said there were more than 440 serious accidents at Amazon's UK sites since 2015.

Workers' injuries including fractures, head wounds and collisions with heavy equipment have doubled in just four years, according to Freedom of Information data.

In one case a London forklift driver crashed into a warehouse column and almost caused a floor to collapse in a "lapse of concentration possibly due to long working hours", the union claimed.

But he refused to give ­investigators his name for fear of being sacked.

Amazon, which raked in £136billion in revenues last year worldwide, is one of the world's wealthiest companies and is owned by the planet's richest man Jeff Bezos.

Jack Dromey, Labour MP and shadow work and pensions minister, said: "A supposed 21st century company, Amazon is guilty of behaving like a 19th century mill owner, putting its workers at risk in pursuit of profit.

"This cannot go on because deaths in Amazon will surely follow.

"Jeff Bezos should hang his head in shame.

"His company should meet the GMB to sort what is a national scandal."

GMB General secretary Tim Roache said: "These figures give a horrifying insight into (Amazon's) warehouses.

"No one should go to work worried about breaking bones."

The company has faced intense criticism over its working practises and tax affairs in the past.

On the £8.8billion it made in the UK last year Amazon paid just £4.6million ­corporation tax.

But an Amazon spokesman said: "According to the UK governments Health and Safety Executive RIDDOR, Amazon has 43 per cent fewer injuries on average than other transportation and warehousing companies in the UK.

"Amazon is a safe place to work and reports to the contrary are simply wrong.

"Amazon has created more than 25,000 good jobs with good pay and benefits across Britain and we are proud of the work they do on behalf of customers every day.

"Safety is one of the reasons LinkedIn recently ranked Amazon #7 on its UK Top Companies list.

"We encourage you to compare our pay, benefits, and working conditions to others and come see for yourself on one of the public tours we offer every day at our centres across the UK uk.amazonfctours.com."

Addressing the concerns at the Dundee warehouse, they added: "We ensure all our sites are equipped with heating systems to meet HSE requirements."