Tesla Factory Workers Suffer Injuries from Grueling Conditions

September 14, 2017

The Tesla automotive factory in Fremont, California, is no stranger to work injuries. In fact, the company’s recordable incident rate (TRIR), an official way of measuring reported workplace injuries and illnesses, was higher than industry averages from 2013 to 2016.

Tesla, a company known for its almost futuristic products, planned to turn an old, unionized plant into a “factory of the future” using primarily robotic technology. But the humans who work there complain of grueling work pressure, unsafe conditions, and lack of concern with employee illnesses.

The Tesla factory employs around 10,000 workers, and while the CEO claims safety has improved significantly, the number of employees suffering fainting spells, dizziness, seizures, and chest pains and necessitated more than 100 ambulance runs since 2014.

Workers allege mandatory overtime demands and low wages characterize conditions at the plant.

The company’s more recent 2017 numbers show a significant improvement in safety, which could be attributed to the addition of a third work shift and the implementation of recommendations from a team of ergonomics experts.