If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. This idiomatic expression seems to be the labor policy of Amazon.com at its warehouse in Lehigh, Penn., if what workers there say is to be believed.

From interviews by the Pennsylvania newspaper The Morning Call, current and former workers at the warehouse in Breinigsville complained of 100 degrees heat inside the warehouse that they have to endure during summer. For some who move books, CDs and other product orders for shipping to customers, the heat caused them to faint, suffer leg cramps and experience other forms of heat stress, according to 34-year-old Elmer Goris, who quit from his job in July after more than 10 years with the company.

He described a scene of paramedics bringing workers out of the warehouse on wheelchairs or stretchers. He also complained of forced overtime imposed by management and difficulty in becoming permanent employees.

The newspaper also interviewed 20 former and current workers at the Amazon warehouse confirming working conditions there.

The workers complained of difficulty in meeting tough productivity requirements. Reprimands and threats of termination were common. Because jobs are hard to come by, workers are forced to endure pain to avoid getting fired.

Paramedics in ambulances parked outside the warehouse were ready to treat workers, Goris said. New job applicants are also ready to replace any dehydrated worker taken home or to the hospital.

Integrity Staffing Solutions is the agency that hires workers for the warehouse, where pay for moving inventory is $11 to $12 per hour.