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Incident · Injury

Automated palletizer punctured a bear-spray can at an Amazon warehouse, hospitalizing two dozen workers (2018)

On Dec 5 2018 an automated palletizing robot at an Amazon fulfillment center in Robbinsville Township, New Jersey punctured a 9 oz can of concentrated bear repellent, releasing capsaicin into the facility; about 24 workers were hospitalized (one in critical condition) and more than 50 treated on scene. OSHA investigated. A novel robot-handling hazard distinct from struck-by injuries.

Occurred 2018-12-05 · Amazon · Investigated by OSHA

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Sources (2)

  1. ABC News · https://abcnews.go.com/US/24-amazon-workers-hospital-bear-repellent-accident/story?id=59625712
  2. https://www.osha.gov/ords/imis/accidentsearch.html

Common questions

What happened in Automated palletizer punctured a bear-spray can at an Amazon warehouse, hospitalizing two dozen workers (2018)?
On Dec 5 2018 an automated palletizing robot at an Amazon fulfillment center in Robbinsville Township, New Jersey punctured a 9 oz can of concentrated bear repellent, releasing capsaicin into the facility; about 24 workers were hospitalized (one in critical condition) and more than 50 treated on scene. OSHA investigated. A novel robot-handling hazard distinct from struck-by injuries.
When did this incident occur?
The incident is recorded as occurring on December 5, 2018 on the DEPLOY registry. The date reflects the underlying real-world event, not the registry record's creation date.
Who was involved in Automated palletizer punctured a bear-spray can at an Amazon warehouse, hospitalizing two dozen workers (2018)?
The incident is recorded as involving Amazon on the DEPLOY registry. No specific robot model is linked to this incident in the registry.
Has anyone responded to Automated palletizer punctured a bear-spray can at an Amazon warehouse, hospitalizing two dozen workers (2018)?
No responses to this incident are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Operators, manufacturers, or affected parties can submit responses to the editorial team; absence is not a guarantee no response was issued.
What is the current status of Automated palletizer punctured a bear-spray can at an Amazon warehouse, hospitalizing two dozen workers (2018)?
This incident is an active record on the DEPLOY registry; no retraction or correction has been issued.
Methodology: Verified · 2 sources (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-14

Verification posture

Verified

Low confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-07-14

Sources by quality tier

2
unclassified
Unclassified source

The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.

Methodology surface for Automated palletizer punctured a bear-spray can at an Amazon warehouse, hospitalizing two dozen workers (2018).

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