Robot at Tesla's Texas factory attacks engineer, digs its claws
A Tesla engineer was injured by a malfunctioning robot at the Giga Texas factory in the US. As per Daily Mail, the incident occurred on November 10, 2021, in the section of the factory floor where the vehicle chassis is initially assembled. The robot, meant to handle freshly cast aluminum car parts, pinned the engineer who was working on software for other robots. The engineer sustained injuries to his back and arm, leaving a "trail of blood" in the factory.
Details of the incident and injury report
The accident occurred when two robots were shut down for maintenance, but a third was accidentally left on. An injury report submitted to Travis County and federal regulators described the engineer's injuries as a "laceration, cut, open wound" caused by a "robot." The injury was apparently not severe enough to require the employee to take time off from work. Tesla has not yet released any statement on the matter.
Concerns about under-reported injuries at Tesla factory
Hannah Alexander, an attorney representing Tesla's Giga Texas contract workers, expressed concerns about under-reported injuries at the factory. On September 28, 2021, a contractor named Antelmo Ramirez died while helping build Tesla's Giga Texas factory. A report from the Travis County medical examiner said Ramirez died of heat stroke. Alexander stated that Tesla's reports to the authorities did not accurately reflect instances of injuries "in order to get tax incentives."
Previous safety issues and allegations against Tesla
Last year, the Workers Defense Project filed a complaint with the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on behalf of Giga Texas workers. The complaint alleged that Tesla's contractors and subcontractors provided false safety certificates. Investigative journalism non-profits and state regulators have also raised concerns about Tesla under-reporting cases. Reports by California OSHA investigators and the Center for Investigative Reporting's Reveal team discovered that Tesla misclassified on-the-job accidents and injuries and omitted injuries in mandatory government filings.
Safety lapses at Tesla's Austin factory
Several current and former Tesla employees have reported safety issues at the Austin factory, including heavy machinery falling near workers, exposure to toxic substances like ammonia, and forklift collisions with workers on the assembly floor. In one instance, water accidentally mixed with molten aluminum, causing an explosion that sent a fireball and smoke into the air. The number of injuries from this event is unknown, as it was not included in documents submitted to Texas safety inspectors.
