NJ Amazon Worker Injuries Prompt Calls For Investigation

WEST DEPTFORD, NJ — A recent report that claimed Amazon workers’ serious injuries made up 55 percent of all serious worker injuries in New Jersey led U.S. Rep. Norcross (NJ-01) to demand an Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation of Amazon warehouses in New Jersey.

The report, conducted by the Occupational Training and Education Consortium in the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University and based on OSHA data, also claimed that while the overall injury rate at Amazon’s warehouses in the Garden State rose 54 percent in 2021 from 2020, the total recordable injury rate at Amazon facilities across the United States rose by 20 percent.

Norcross said he was "deeply troubled" by the report's findings.

"Workplace safety at Amazon’s New Jersey warehouses is clearly not a priority, otherwise the rate of injury would be decreasing — not skyrocketing," Norcross said. "This apparent disregard for the health and wellbeing of Amazon warehouse workers is unacceptable."

The option to expand the New Jersey investigation at Amazon warehouses into a nationwide one should also be available, Norcross said.

Others, like State Senator Joe Cryan (NJ-20), State Assembly Majority Conference Leader Annette Quijano (NJ-20) and Carmen Martino, Director of the Occupational Training and Education Consortium, in the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University, also stated in a press release that some changes are needed at what they said is some of Amazon's status quo at some of its warehouses.

“This means taking steps to keep workers safe on the job, something that this report shows is a problem. Additionally, they must take steps to minimize the harmful impact they may have on our environment.”

Amazon currently has about a dozen warehouses in the Garden State, including one in West Deptford, which is part of Norcross' district. Amazon is New Jersey's second-largest private-sector employer, according to Choose New Jersey, a privately-funded economic development corporation.

Amazon could not be reached for immediate comment. However, it stated on its website that "the health and safety of our employees is our top priority—and has been since Day 1."

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