An Amazon employee died at a New Jersey fulfillment center during the online retailer’s massive Prime Day sales event last week.
According to Huffington Post labor reporter Dave Jamieson, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed the death occurred at an Amazon facility Carteret, New Jersey. The agency is investigating the incident, but provided no further details.
“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,” said Amazon spokesperson Sam Stephenson in a statement to Rolling Stone. “We’ve contacted his family to offer support and will provide counseling resources to employees needing additional care.”
Representatives for both OSHA’s Office of Communications, as well as the New Jersey regional office that services the Carteret fulfillment center, could not be reached for comment. The Amazon Labor Union, which represents warehouse employees in Staten Island, New York, did not return Rolling Stone‘s request for a statement.
The retail giant has repeatedly come under fire for what current and former employees claim are unsafe and illegal labor practices, ranging from a lack of proper COVID-19 protection protocols to discrepancies in employee benefits. The National Employment Law Project found the turnover rate for warehouse workers at Amazon facilities in California was over 100 percent in 2017.
In 2021, Amazon spent $4.3 million trying to snuff out pro-labor sentiment among its employees, according to U.S. Labor Department documents.
According to the Associated Press, Amazon does not disclose Prime Day sales numbers, but industry analysts suggested the company hoped year’s sale could help Amazon make up for the disappointing quarterly loss it posted in April — its first since 2015.