I’m a marine terminal worker in Newark, NJ, with 15 years of service under my belt. Over these years, I have seen an increasingly questionable practice that has ramped up as terminals consolidate jobs - the dreaded "clopen" shifts. Supervisors, myself included, are being pushed to cover all available shifts which leaves us minimal time, approximately 4 to 5 hours at the most, to commute, sleep, perhaps shower, before returning to work. 

This practice not only makes it unsafe for us, workers, but also poses a significant risk to anyone sharing the road with us during our commute and anyone working within the terminal. When workers don't get adequate sleep before handling heavy machinery, the chance of an incident occurring significantly increases.
This effect of inadequate sleep on occupational injuries has been well documented in literature (Hafner, Stepanek, Taylor, Troxel, and van Stolk, 2016).

Other states have already made close/open "clopen" shifts illegal, recognizing the harm they can do. It is time for New Jersey to follow suit. We need adequate time between shifts to ensure our safety and the safety of others. The drive for productivity should never come at the expense of worker safety.

Join us in appealing to our legislators to prohibit the hazardous practice of assigning "clopen" shifts in New Jersey. Sign the petition today. Your support means safer roads, safer terminals, and a fairer workplace for hardworking New Jerseyans.