Tesla engineer injured by factory robot; company faces probe over unpaid wages and safety issues.
An incident at a Tesla factory near Austin, Texas, involving a robot and an engineer has come to light. A 2021 report indicates that the engineer was trapped and injured by a robot handling aluminum car parts. According to The Information, the robot pinned the engineer and inflicted injuries with its metal components. The engineer eventually freed himself, falling into a chute and leaving a blood trail.
Additionally, in 2022, Tesla’s Texas gigafactory faced a federal investigation over allegations of not compensating workers for holiday, overtime, and other wages. Hannah Alexander, a staff attorney with the Workers Defense Project, and board member Virginia Badillo highlighted the significant impact of these unpaid wages on workers’ livelihoods.
The Workers Defense Project has lodged complaints with the U.S. Labor Department and OSHA, claiming that workers received fraudulent safety training certificates. According to Alexander, workers were often given PDFs or images of certificates instead of proper training, as reported by KXAN news.
Conclusion
The alarming incident at Tesla’s Texas factory underscores the critical need for enhanced safety measures and ethical labor practices in the tech industry. This situation not only reflects on Tesla but also serves as a cautionary tale for the entire sector to prioritize worker safety and fair compensation.
