An Amazon worker reportedly died in a New Jersey warehouse during the week of Prime Day, the e-commerce giant’s annual discount blitz. The US Department of Labor is investigating through its Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The agency also opened up a larger investigation into Amazon warehouse working conditions more broadly, according to a separate report.
Amazon and OSHA didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. The cause of death for the New Jersey worker, who wasn’t identified, hasn’t been released. He reportedly died July 12, the first of two days when Prime Day deals were officially offered.
“We’re deeply saddened by the passing of one of our colleagues and offer our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time,” Amazon spokesperson Sam Stephenson said in a statement to the Huffington Post, which reported the death on Monday. The company is offering counseling and support to co-workers,
The broader OSHA investigation is looking at warehouses in the New York City, Chicago and Orlando areas, according to a statement OSHA provided to ABC News. The agency is looking at allegations of unsafe working conditions tied to “Amazon’s required pace of work for its warehouse employees,” it said in the statement.
The investigations come as Amazon faces increasing scrutiny for high injury rates. Regulators have tied the rates directly to the company’s demanding pace of work, which Amazon enforces with surveillance of workers’ movements throughout their shifts. Worker advocacy groups have found injury rates that are about twice as high at Amazon warehouses than at non-Amazon warehouses, based on Amazon’s reports to OSHA. Amazon has said it’s prioritizing worker safety with new training programs and other investments.
Workers told CNET that they’ve faced delays and red tape in getting care and benefits after injuries at warehouses. Amazon said the workers’ experiences weren’t typical for its workforce.
