The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said it is proposing a $350,000 civil fine against Amazon.com Inc. for shipping a product that allegedly violated hazardous materials regulations and injured several UPS workers who handled the package.
The penalty is the largest fine the FAA has proposed imposing on Amazon, which the agency said has had a series of at least 24 hazardous materials violations in recent years.
The FAA alleged that on Oct. 15, 2014, Amazon sent a UPS package with a one-gallon container of Amazing! LIQUID FIRE, a corrosive drain cleaner for transportation by air from Louisville, Kentucky to Boulder, Colorado.
The package leaked and nine UPS employees who came into contact with the box reported feeling a burning sensation and were treated with a chemical wash, the FAA said. The FAA said the shipment was improperly packaged, not accompanied by a declaration for dangerous goods and not properly labeled to indicate the hazardous contents.
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