Amazon Contests OSHA Fine for Workplace Safety Violations at NJ Warehouse
After the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) handed down a $7,000 fine against Amazon’s fulfillment center in Robbinsville, NJ, Amazon has decided to fight back. Amazon recently released a statement declaring that the company plans to contest the citation and fine issued by OSHA, the main federal agency in charge of making sure that safety and health laws are properly enforced. A spokesperson for Amazon said that the company wants the public to know that the online retailer takes worker safety very seriously, so Amazon intends to contest the OSHA citation and appeal the agency’s initial decision.
The relatively small fine stems from a number of workplace safety violations that Amazon allegedly committed at a product fulfillment center located in Robbinsville, New Jersey. OSHA began its investigation into the NJ Amazon center on July 1, 2015 after receiving a complaint about recordkeeping violations. OSHA investigators subsequently looked into Amazon’s records and found that the New Jersey warehouse failed to report 26 different workplace injuries and illnesses on company logs. These logs, which are supposed to contain accurate information about all work-related injuries, were later turned over to OSHA to ensure that Amazon was in compliance with federal worker safety laws.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, workers at the Robbinsville, NJ fulfillment center sustained a variety of injuries, including head trauma after a trip & fall accident, shoulder pain caused by pushing a cart onto a warehouse elevator and back injuries stemming from repeated lifting of heavy boxes. Some of the Amazon employees who were injured were required to take a medical leave of absence from work.
To learn more about Amazon’s alleged workplace safety issues in New Jersey, view the NJ.com article, “Amazon Plans to Contest OSHA Findings at N.J. Warehouse.”
If you or a loved one has been injured on the job, you should speak to a skilled personal injury and workers’ compensation attorney today. The NJ personal injury lawyers at Drazin and Warshaw, P.C. have more than 70 years of combined experience with these types of cases and will fight to get you full and fair compensation for your workplace injuries. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation about your case.
