An investigative report by The Information has brought to light a series of workplace injuries at Tesla’s Giga Texas factory, exposing the risks associated with the growing integration of automation in manufacturing. The report, which includes a notable incident involving a robot attack on a Tesla software engineer two years ago, has raised concerns about the safety challenges faced by workers in automated environments.
The incident in question occurred in 2021 at Tesla’s Austin, Texas, factory, where a malfunctioning robot designed for moving aluminum car parts attacked a software engineer. According to witnesses, the robot pinned the engineer against a surface, inflicting injuries with its metal claws and leaving a trail of blood on the factory floor. The engineer sustained a “laceration, cut, or open wound” on his left hand, although it was not severe enough to necessitate time off from work.
The report revealed that the incident took place when one of the robots was inadvertently left operational while the engineer and his crew were working on others. As the robot carried out its normal motions, it pinned the engineer, prompting a fellow worker to activate the emergency stop. This quick action allowed the injured engineer to free himself from the robot’s grip, falling down a chute designed to collect scrap aluminum.
The Information claims to have obtained an injury report submitted to federal officials and health authorities in Travis County, shedding light on the seriousness of the incident. Despite the severity of the injuries, Tesla has chosen to remain tight-lipped, declining to provide any comments on the matter.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has dismissed the media’s focus on the incident, calling it “truly shameful” to dredge up an injury from two years ago. Musk attributed the incident to a simple industrial Kuka robot arm, commonly found in all factories, and insisted that the robot acted as programmed. He suggested that the worker may have mistakenly thought the robot was off when it wasn’t.
As concerns about workplace safety and the role of automation in manufacturing continue to mount, Tesla finds itself under increased scrutiny.