Amazon Australia’s largest fulfilment centre in Sydney was shut today for deep cleaning after two workers at the site returned positive tests for COVID-19.
The 44,000-square-metre distribution warehouse at Moorebank in Sydney’s southwest – the current epicentre of the Sydney outbreak – stocks more then 500,000 products. How long it remains offline will determine the impact of any delivery delays to customers.
The other Sydney sites continue to operate and Amazon said a majority of orders can be fulfilled from other warehouses in the national network.
More than 100 casual workers have been stood down as a consequence of the shut down. Close contacts have been told by NSW Health and to self-isolate for two weeks.
The company said any employees and causal agency workforce diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed into isolation by Amazon or NSW Health will receive up to two weeks paid leave.
Amazon Australia director of operations Craig Fuller said the company was supporting the two workers who are isolating at home
“The safety of our people remains our highest priority and we have taken prompt, proactive measures to ensure the safety of employees at our site. We are working with NSW Health and will continue to follow their guidance,” he said.
The site has also undergone a deep clean, with the company saying it acted “out of an abundance of caution” to pause operations temporarily.
News of the Amazon warehouse shut down came as NSW Health added multiple sites, especially around Fairfield and Penrith, to its venues of concern list.
⚠️PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT – VENUES OF CONCERN⚠️
NSW Health has been notified of a number of new venues of concern and transport routes associated with confirmed cases of #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/XYkDX2XNv1
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 13, 2021
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