Tesla factory in Texas plagued by explosions, injuries, and robot mishaps

author: FutureCar Staff    

As Tesla prepares to deliver its first Cybertrucks to customers, a new report has shed light on the concerning state of the Texas factory where the truck is being built. The Gigafactory in Austin, Texas has been the site of several gruesome incidents, including a casting machine explosion and a robot allegedly injuring a worker.

The Information has reported on some of the disturbing events that have taken place at the factory. According to the report, one out of every 21 workers at the Gigafactory were injured in 2022. This data is based on the injury reports that Tesla is required to submit to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

An incident in 2021 involved an engineer who approached a robot arm that was supposed to be shut down. However, the machine unexpectedly clawed and pinned the engineer to the wall, causing him to bleed from his back and arms. After someone hit the emergency stop button, the engineer managed to free himself but fell into a chute, leaving a trail of blood behind.

Although Tesla reportedly submitted an injury report to Travis County, Texas, regarding a robot-related incident, it does not match the account provided by witnesses. The official report does not mention any missed work time. In unrelated incidents in August 2022, one worker had their ankle caught under a cart, resulting in 127 days of missed work, while another worker suffered a head injury that put them out for 85 days.

More recent injury reports include a worker who suffered a concussion after being launched back from an explosion in the metal casting area around New Year's 2023. The explosion was allegedly caused by water accidentally mixing into the molten aluminum press machine. A witness who saw surveillance video described a ball of fire and smoke being sent into the air, along with damage to the die and a curled-up door sealing the chamber. It remains unclear whether Tesla reported this incident to OSHA, as there were reportedly no inspections conducted for this particular incident.

Another worker claims that the molding machine frequently failed to seal properly and would often spit out molten metal. When a worker suggested a solution to fix the issue, they were reprimanded and told that shutting down the machine would slow down production output.

In June, contractors installing metal grating for elevated walkways in the factory fell to the ground due to a lack of protective equipment. Some of the metal walkway fell on top of them, resulting in fractures and a punctured lung. OSHA inspected this incident and fined the contractors involved.

Incidents of objects falling from above have also been reported by The Information, including air conditioning ducts, steel beams, and other building materials crashing near autoworkers.

Tesla's Fremont factory in California has also faced criticism for its worker injury record. Employees at the factory have a higher injury rate than the national average. Tesla has been accused of underreporting injuries and failing to address hazards, such as those in an outdoor tent that was set up for the assembly line, leading to fines.

Tesla's Gigafactory in Austin opened in April 2022, approximately two years after it was announced in 2020. Employees have described the work culture at the company as "ultra hardcore," with extremely long hours, unsafe working conditions, and instances of harassment.

FutureCar Staff