A Tesla engineer was attacked by a robot at the Giga Texas factory near Austin, adding to concerns about the company's working environment.
Robot Malfunction Attack
The incident was documented in Tesla's Form 300 Report to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), when one of the manufacturing arms at the electric car manufacturer pinned an engineer who was programming software into nearby robots, resulting in a laceration, cut, and an open wound on the victim's left hand on November 10, 2021. The engineer fell a few feet down a chute designed for collecting scrap aluminum, leaving a trail of blood, as witnesses told The Information.
Mounting Concerns on AI-powered Machinery
Although no other robot-related incidents were reported in 2021 or 2022, the recent attack highlights growing concerns about the treatment of humans by AI-powered machinery and the overall safety at the Tesla factory, which the company must report.
Underreporting Injuries
There are concerns that Tesla is underreporting the number of injuries. In 2018, OSHA investigators in California found that Tesla omitted at least 36 injuries from government filings. Troubling data from The Information in 2022 showed that nearly one in every 21 workers was injured, compared to the industry median rate of one in every 30 workers. The ratio was about one in every 26 workers for more on-the-job severe injuries. The median rate at which such injuries happen at other U.S. auto factories amounted to one in every 38 workers.
Inadequate Safety Training
Last year, the labor nonprofit Workers Defense Project filed a lawsuit against Tesla, claiming the company didn't provide adequate safety training to its employees.
Heatstroke Death
In September 2021, a construction worker building Tesla's Giga Texas factory died of heat stroke. The Texas Observer's investigation of Antelmo Ramirez revealed that Tesla didn't thoroughly report accidents. In court filings, Tesla denied wrongdoing, attributing Ramirez's death to pre-existing medical conditions and for not exercising ordinary care despite a medical examiner stating Ramirez had no known medical history.
Added Construction Injuries
According to sources, the fast construction of the Giga Texas facility, completed in two years, contributed to lax safety and increased injuries. Tesla's aggressive construction pace, known as "Elon Speed," involved 24/7 work shifts, leading to faster-than-expected completion. Self-reported worker injuries at Tesla range from blunt force trauma to chemical exposures and machine accidents, causing some workers to recover for months. Examples include an ankle caught in a moving cart, leading to a 127-day absence, and a material handler struck in the head, requiring 85 days to recover, as per OSHA records.
Compliance Report for Economic Incentive Agreement
The Giga factory is more accurately situated in an "unincorporated" area called Del Valle in Travis County, commonly described as being in Austin. Tesla received over $60 million in tax breaks from Travis County and the Del Valle Independent School District for choosing this location. However, there are concerns that Tesla might not be adhering to the strict requirements linked to these tax incentives. The Workers Defense Project's attorney, Alexander, noted that Tesla must compile an annual compliance report for the economic development incentive agreement. As Alexander shared DailyMail.com via phone, some construction worker injuries, including the death of Antelmo Ramírez, haven't been appropriately recorded in the report, going against the agreement's terms, which mandate reporting all injuries and deaths of construction workers on the site, not just those directly employed by Tesla.
