- The data indicates that in 2022, one out of every 21 workers at Giga Texas was injured while on the job.
- And now, a lawyer assisting contract workers at the factory has stated that there’s evidence suggesting Tesla UNDER-REPORTED accidents to state regulators.
A Tesla engineer was allegedly attacked by a robot at a factory near Austin, according to media reports.
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The 2021 injury report alleges that a robot, created for handling aluminum car parts, gripped the engineer’s back and arm with its metal claws, leaving a “trail of blood.” Witnesses, as per The Information’s recent story, corroborated this incident. The Daily Mail also covered this event. Additionally, Tesla is recalling nearly all US-sold vehicles to address issues with the system monitoring drivers while using Autopilot.
The attack happened while the engineer was programming software for two disabled Tesla robots nearby. By mistake, a third one was still on. This happened two years ago, according to witnesses who told The Information.
Safety Oversights and Incidents
Injury reports submitted to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration alleged that nearly one out of every 21 workers at the Giga Texas factory got hurt last year.
In the automotive industry, the median injury rate last year was one in every 30 workers.
According to current and former Tesla employees at the factory interviewed by The Information, the company frequently took shortcuts in construction, maintenance, and operations, exposing workers to risks. Sources disclosed that the pressure from management to speed up production has resulted in safety oversights.
Witnesses mentioned incidents where heavy machinery, like a crane, steel beam, and air conditioning duct, fell close to workers on car production lines. Records examined by The Information revealed that factory workers became ill after exposure to toxins like ammonia.
In the summer of last year, an employee’s ankle got caught under a moving cart, leading to more than four months of missed work. Shortly after, another worker was hit in the head by a metal object, causing them to miss 85 days of work, as per the Information. Employees at the Tesla factory reported seeing forklifts colliding with workers on the assembly floor.
Around New Year’s 2023, water accidentally mixed with molten aluminum in the castings area, resulting in an explosion described by witnesses as a “sonic boom,” according to the Information. This explosion sent a ball of fire and smoke into the air, prompting terrified employees to flee, as detailed in the report.
However, the number of injuries remains unknown as this information was not included in the documents submitted to safety inspectors in Texas, according to the Information.
Tesla’s Giga Texas Factory
Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, initiated construction of the factory in the summer of 2020 after being displeased with California regulators limiting business operations due to the pandemic.
In late 2021, Tesla officially moved its headquarters from Palo Alto, Calif., to Austin. Musk has expressed the goal of the 10 million-square-foot facility aiding in the production of 20 million cars annually by 2030.
Construction continues at the Texas facility, with Tesla aiming to employ 60,000 people upon completion. The company expects to spend up to $10 billion to finish constructing the plant.